Community Transit grants 12 surplus vans to local nonprofit groups

    Nov. 11, 2020
    Organizations will provide thousands of trips to benefit Snohomish County residents
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    Community Transit has awarded 12 local nonprofit organizations with 12, 15-passenger surplus vans that were otherwise earmarked for auction.

    The vans were awarded at the Nov. 5 Community Transit Board of Directors virtual meeting through the agency’s Van GO vehicle grant program.

    The vehicles, originally part of Community Transit’s vanpool fleet, will be used to improve access to transportation and strengthen connections in local communities. Recipients were chosen through a competitive process based on how they proposed to use the vehicles to serve their communities.

    Community Transit launched the Van GO program in 2000 and has since awarded 158 vans and wheelchair lift-equipped paratransit vehicles to qualified 501(c)3 organizations throughout Snohomish County. These organizations primarily serve residents of the Community Transit service area. This includes all incorporated cities and towns in Snohomish County, as well as the Tulalip Reservation and portions of unincorporated Snohomish County, except for Everett.

    “These surplus vehicles will make it possible for community service providers to give the people they serve better access to opportunity and essential services such as training, medical appointments and more,” said Community Transit CEO Emmett Heath.

    This year, more than 30 groups submitted applications demonstrating how they would use the vehicles to benefit people in their community. Collectively, the vans will provide more than 34,000 annual trips next year to medical appointments, employment opportunities and other services. The vans will also be used to transport and deliver food and other essential supplies.

    This year’s Van GO recipients include:

    • Angel Resource Connection (Snohomish County)
    • Edmonds Church of God (Edmonds)
    • First Class Association of Washington State (Lynnwood, Marysville, Everett, Bothell)
    • Gambian Talents Promotion (Snohomish County)
    • Greater Trinity Academy (Unincorporated Snohomish County Everett & Mukilteo)
    • Korean Community Service Center (Snohomish County)
    • Latino Educational Training Institute (Snohomish County)
    • Millennia Ministries (Snohomish County)
    • Monroe Gospel Women’s Mission (Monroe)
    • North Snohomish County Outreach (North Snohomish County)
    • North Sound Church (Edmonds/Lynnwood)
    • YMCA of Snohomish County (Snohomish County)