Vashon Senior Center expands lunch delivery program

The Vashon Senior Center is expanding its lunch delivery program, aiming to serve any islander 55 and older who would benefit from receiving a hot meal three days a week.

The nonprofit typically serves hot lunch at its Bank Road facility but switched to a meal delivery program when the coronavirus caused the center’s closure. With the help of vetted delivery volunteers, the center is now serving 45 meals on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Executive Director Catherine Swearingen says the center could provide 100 meals each day before needing to increase staff or volunteers. Donations are accepted for the meals, but no one will be turned away because of financial hardship.

“My main concern is getting people fed,” she said. “We are part of the community working to ensure that everyone who needs it has access to food on Vashon.”

Along with the entrees made by chef Karen Biondo, the center also often provides extras, such as masks, protein bars and fresh flowers.

Requests to join the meals program are due by Wednesday of the preceding week to allow time for planning and shopping. To sign up, email lunch@vashoncenter.org; see the website at vashoncenter.org and click on “Lunch Delivery,” or call the center at 206-463-5173. Menus are available on the website at the “Calendar” tab.

The expansion of the program is made possible by grants from Vashon Rotary, VashonBePrepared and anonymous donors.

Nearly 1,000 file for unemployment benefits on Vashon

Unemployment on Vashon continues to rise, according to figures from Washington’s Employment Security Department. Since businesses began to close because of COVID-19, 800 islanders have filed for unemployment benefits, with hundreds of more claims likely to be filed since benefits have opened for self-employed workers.

Deborah Diamond, a volunteer with VashonBePrepared’s Emergency Operations Center, has been assisting islanders with unemployment claims. So far, she has helped more than 150 people. Two tips she recently provided are to save every page when filling out the online application at the state’s unemployment website (esd.wa.gov) and to log in to the site often for updates because they do not come via email. Diamond can be reached at deborah@vashonbeprepared.org.

Health clinic adjusts hours

Neighborcare will temporarily reduce the hours of operation at the Vashon clinic for the next six to eight weeks according to spokesperson Mary Schilder in a press release. The clinic will now be open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday but patients may call Neighborcare for appointments and assistance between 8 a.m. to 5 p.m Monday through Friday as normal. Neighborcare offers interpretation services and has put safety measures in place in the clinic if a patient must be seen in-person.

“We are closely monitoring the demand and will expand hours as needed,” Schilder said. She added that the clinic will continue to offer testing and evaluation for COVID-19 and plans are underway to offer more. The clinic is still able to provide for many routine and immediate health care needs.

Anyone who is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and wants a test can likely get a test in our outdoor testing tents, Schilder said. Patients must first make a phone appointment with one of our nurse practitioners or doctors.

Call 206-463-3671 to make a phone appointment for concerns about COVID-19 or any other health needs.