News Briefs | March 14 edition
Published 1:30 am Thursday, March 14, 2024
Food bank funding secured
U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal confirmed her package of “Community Project Funding” requests (sometimes called earmarks) for the Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations bill on Wednesday, March 6 — and it includes $800,000 set aside for the Vashon Maury Community Food Bank.
The funding is one slice of the $18.2 million Jayapal secured for projects across the greater Seattle area. Last week, Congress passed, and Biden signed, a package containing that funding. The money can be found in the “Congressionally Directed Spending” section of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies appropriations bill.
The funds will go toward the food bank’s acquisition and renovation of a new location at the Vashon United Methodist Church. That move will put the Food Bank near the center of town, improving accessibility for most islanders and preventing a trip all the way up to Sunrise Ridge and back for patrons. Sharing the space with partners like VYFS and the church means people will be exposed to more services and help, Emily Scott, executive director of the food bank, has said.
“The funding ushered into the federal budget by Rep. Pramila Jayapal is a critical element of our campaign to build a new food bank and community resource hub that will become a safe and inclusive community asset long into the future,” said Scott, in a prepared statement in Jayapal’s announcement.
The Food Bank hopes to break ground on the project this summer. If all goes to plan, that would lead to a roughly September 2025 grand opening.
New Director of Food Services joins Vashon Island School District
Cierra Hunziker will join the Vashon Island School District as its new director of food services starting in the 2024-2025 school year.
Hunziker “brings a wealth of experience, passion, and dedication to her new role,” superintendent Dr. Slade McScheehy said in a statement.
Hunziker takes on the roll after the departure of previous director Lisa Cyra, who was featured in the March 7 edition of The Beachcomber.
Local student recognized
A local Vashon-Maury student was recently honored for their academic achievements in college.
Ryen Kirschner was named to the fall 2023 Dean’s List at Illinois Wesleyan University, which requires maintaining a 3.5 grade point average or higher.
