New South King County Investments

Highline YMCA Partners with Youth provides financial assistance for youth and families who otherwise would not be able to afford the full cost of programs. The Partners with Youth campaign enables access to all to a variety of quality programs such as before and after school care for school age kids, youth sports (soccer, tee-ball, basketball), summer day camp, summer enrichment programs and teen leadership and club programs. In all programs youth are able to interact with adult role models who demonstrate key values such as responsibility, respect and honesty. Partners with Youth helps build a community where all people, especially the young, are encouraged to develop their fullest potential in spirit, mind and body.

The City of SeaTac will receive funds to eradicate the noxious non-native water lilies in Angle Lake, monitor the lake for future infestations, and educate the public on the ongoing need for the health of Angle Lake. Water lilies have been an ongoing problem in Angle Lake for a number of years. In March 2007, SeaTac city staff set up a meeting inviting all of the Angle Lake waterfront home owners to discuss the water lily problem. The City of SeaTac estimates that 18 percent of the shoreline has non-native water lily evasion. The community expressed concerns with invasive species and will work with the City of SeaTac to be good stewards of the land after the eradication.

STEPS to Health is a joint project between public health agencies, healthcare providers, schools and community organizations targeting chronic disease prevention and self management, particularly obesity, diabetes and asthma. Their Healthy Sundays program works with clergy and health ministry members to provide information and facilitate discussion, conduct assessments and screenings, refer individuals to education classes and support groups, and work with individuals to create plans of action to improve their health. This effective project, which will receive a grant from King County, conducts health and diabetes outreach and education in churches primarily serving lower income congregations in South Seattle and South King County.

We the People is a non-profit countywide (and nationwide) program that instills in youth the importance of learning and understanding the United States Constitution. Each year, the competition challenges students in their knowledge of the constitution at a local and statewide level. The program builds public speaking skills and engagement in our government. We the People will receive a grant to supply constitution textbooks and history books to low-income youth involved in the program. These resources will be distributed, by need, countywide.

The League of Women Voters South is associated with the non-partisan, voter education group bearing the same name. The League of Women Voters South will receive funding to assist in hosting candidate nights and printing ballot measure information for this year’s primary and general election.

All Nations Cup is a cultural festival and soccer tournament that began in August 2003 with 12 northwest-based amateur men’s teams representing their homelands in a weekend tournament. In just four years, All Nations Cup has grown into the premier soccer tournament of the northwest, with 38 countries represented in 2006. The largest spectator sport in the world, soccer, brings together a celebration of culture, where you can hear over 25 languages spoken in one place and enjoy international music, dance, and food.

The City of Kent Safe Havens Visitation Center will use King County funding to support their programs for families impacted by domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, and stalking. The program provides safety for adult and child victims of domestic violence while they comply with Court-ordered visitation provisions. The majority of referrals to the program are made via the King County Superior Court protection order process. The program emphasizes increased safety and decreased opportunity for further abuse by utilizing security equipment, highly trained staff, and in-depth intake and orientation processes. The program has served over a hundred families throughout King County since opening its doors in January 2005 by creating safe, affordable, and supportive supervised visitation for children and their non-custodial parent.

The Renton Rotary is a service organization comprised of a robust membership throughout the greater Renton area. They are involved in a number of community initiatives, including a partnership with Valley Medical Center in running a free clinic to serve low income people. Members of the rotary organize the clinic, volunteer during its hours of operation, and raise funds to buy all the medications prescribed. They will receive King County funding to run and expand the medical program.