Rainier Foothills Wellness Foundation tells council its school mental‑health and senior‑meal programs are expanding

Tammy Verhus, introduced as interim executive director of the Rainier Foothills Wellness Foundation, briefed the council on the nonprofit’s mental‑health and senior‑meals programs on July 13.

“We have served a total of 82 students,” Verhus said, adding that 62 of those students were at Enumclaw High School, nine at Enumclaw Middle School and 11 at Thunder Mountain. She told the council six high‑school students had “graduated from therapy.”

Verhus said the foundation’s senior hot‑meals program currently serves about 66 seniors and, year to date, has reached roughly 80 people; the program delivers six meals weekly through three deliveries (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) and prepares about 400 meals from scratch each week with approximately 87 volunteers.

Verhus thanked the council for past support, described the program’s staffing and volunteer structure, and asked the city to continue partnering with the foundation as it seeks a permanent executive director and builds the programs further.

Council members did not take formal legislative action tied directly to the presentation. Verhus invited councilors and residents to contact her or former director Sarah Stratton with questions or partnership ideas.