County awards grants to islanders
Published 11:39 am Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Two island nonprofit organizations will receive $5,000 in grant money from King County, which awarded three dozen grants last week as part of its effort to enhance communities.
Voice of Vashon (VoV) and the Vashon Island Growers Association (VIGA) will each receive $2,500 through community engagement grants as part of the county’s Community Service Area program. VoV will use the funds to create a short film about the Vashon Maury Community Food Bank, and VIGA will use the funds to support its work enhancing the farmers market.
At VoV, station manager Susan McCabe said they are trying to create more programming for their television station, Comcast 21. The food bank film will be shown there and can be used by food bank staff as well.
Verna Everitt, who wrote the grant and had asked for $4,250, said she was pleased to hear the news. With volunteers doing the film work, the $2,500 amount will be sufficient.
“That will give us enough for all the hard costs,” she said.
The 5- to 7-minute film will explore the history of the food bank, the need for the agency and the services it provides, which Everett noted includes its open larder, a food delivery service, a garden program and, as of last summer, a summer meal and activity program for children at Ober Park.
“I think we can tell a fabulous story that can be shown in a variety of places,” Everitt added.
Dan Carlson, co-chair of the VIGA board, said he is appreciative of the funds as well. His group applied for two different grants for two different projects. The county is helping to fund just one: VIGA’s efforts to enhance the Farmers Market. It is appropriate that the county awarded the funds, he said, as the county’s goals include increasing agriculture and making locally grown food more available.
Currently, VIGA is working with graduate students at the University of Washington, who are designing ideas for the market in the Village Green.
“What we are doing is consistent with what the county is trying to do — reviving the agricultural economy. The market is an important part of that,” he said.
