Three community organizations in Metropolitan King County Councilmember Kathy Lambert’s district were approved recently to receive a retired King County Metro van.

Locally, the Mount Si Senior Center and Hopelink each got a van, as did the Boys and Girls Club of Redmond/Sammamish.

Late last month, the County Council unanimously approved the transfer of retired Metro vans to provide transportation assistance to local governments, community programs, senior citizens and young people.

“I’m so pleased that we are able to donate the vans to these very deserving groups who do so much for so many on the Eastside. I know the vans will be well-used for many years to serve seniors, boys and girls and low-income and disabled populations on the Eastside.” said Lambert.

Mountt Si Senior Center serves seniors, low-income families, people with disabilities, students and veterans. An additional van will give them the capacity to serve more people from the Snoqualmie Valley.

Hopelink is a multi-faceted agency that provides programs enabling families in crisis to make progress toward and achieve self-sufficiency. Hopelink serves thousands of people each month across King County. The van they receive will be very well used.

The Redmond/Sammamish Boys and Girls Club serves young people throughout the region, giving them opportunities to develop good character and citizenship, healthy lifestyles and academic success. They serve hundreds of students every month and another van will be a welcome addition for their many daily transportation needs.

Since 1996, the County Council has transferred more than 460 retired vans from Metro’s Vanpool program to local nonprofit organizations to provide transportation for the disabled, low-income, young adults, and senior citizens. Governments, agencies and organizations that receive the vans must meet specific requirements.

The vanpool program provides mobility for a diverse array of King County residents, supports the positive work of various local organizations, and relieves traffic congestion by reducing the need for single-occupancy vehicles.

Interested organizations can contact Councilmember Lambert’s office at 206-477-1003 or kathy.lambert@kingcounty.gov