Interim director says school mental‑health program has grown; senior meals serve about 66 local seniors

Tammy Verhus, interim executive director of the Rainier Foothills Wellness Foundation, told the Eden Plus City Council on July 13 that the organization’s school‑based mental‑health program has expanded and that its senior hot‑meals operation continues to grow.

Verhus said the foundation has served a total of 82 students: 62 at Enumclaw High School, nine at Enumclaw Middle School and 11 at Thunder Mountain, and that six Enumclaw High School students “graduated from therapy,” a milestone she emphasized. She said the program is delivered through contracts for multiple days per week at local schools.

On the senior‑meals program, Verhus said the foundation currently serves about 66 seniors and has served more than 80 seniors year‑to‑date; the program provides six meals weekly via three deliveries (dinner and lunch on Monday, Wednesday and Friday), and the foundation prepares about 400 meals each week. She credited a volunteer corps of roughly 87 people who help shop, prepare and deliver meals.

The presentation noted two staff changes: the previous director, Sarah Stratton, had departed and Verhus is serving as interim executive director while the foundation searches for a permanent replacement. Verhus said the foundation is pursuing continued partnerships with the city and invited councilors to reach out with questions.

The council thanked Verhus for the presentation. No formal action by the council was requested or taken on the foundation’s programs during the meeting.

The foundation’s program metrics and volunteer counts were presented as program status information; budgetary details, contracts and any requests for city funding were not specified during the presentation.