Rainier Foothills Wellness Foundation reports growth in school mental‑health services and senior meals

Tammy Verhus, identified as interim executive director of the Rainier Foothills Wellness Foundation, presented the nonprofit’s recent program results to the Eden Plus City Council on July 13, 2026.

Verhus said the foundation’s school‑based mental‑health program has served a total of 82 students: “We have 62 at Enumclaw High School, we have 9 at Enumclaw Middle School, and then we have 11 at Thunder Mountain,” and she reported six high‑school students have “graduated from therapy.” She added the program’s behavioral‑incident metric moved from 0.69 to 1.016 between the 2024–25 and 2025–26 measures, which she described as “a 32% improvement.” Verhus also noted a modest average GPA increase among the students of about 1.25%.

On senior services, Verhus said the foundation currently serves 66 seniors and prepares roughly 400 meals from scratch each week, delivered three times weekly, and that about 87 volunteers support preparation and delivery. “They received 6 meals weekly via 3 deliveries,” she said, describing the schedule and staffing behind the meals program.

Verhus thanked council and staff for support during staffing transitions at the foundation and asked the council to direct community members to contact the foundation with questions about programs and volunteer opportunities. The presentation closed with council acknowledgment and no questions that changed the staff recommendation.

The foundation’s presentation was given during the council’s consent and public‑engagement portion of the meeting; council did not take formal action on the report. The foundation’s contact for follow‑up was referenced as Sarah (director, recently stepped down) and Tammy Verhus (interim).