The City's longstanding youth volunteer program, Volunteer Outreach In Communities Everywhere ( VOICE), received the esteemed Jon Nelson Community Service Award from nonprofit Community Lunch on Capitol Hill last weekend (October 8). The award recognizes VOICE's exceptional service and leadership in supporting Community Lunch's mission, which is to provide hot, nutritious meals and survival services to low-income people and those experiencing homelessness in Seattle.   

" Community Lunch is one of our most popular organizations because it is so hands-on and tangible - our youth volunteers are really able to see the importance of the work they're doing when they serve a hot meal to clients," says Tambi Cork, Youth Development Coordinator for the City's Youth and Family Services Department (YFS).   "I think this project site is also one of the most influential on participants for that same reason - by spending time in a community so different from their own, our youth learn about poverty, food insecurity and homelessness first hand."

VOICE has been supporting Community Lunch through volunteerism since 2008; it also supports dozens of other organizations across King County, many of which focus on food insecurity and homelessness (Community Lunch, Operation Sack Lunch, NW Harvest, TeenFeed, etc.); outdoor restoration/environmental work (EarthCorps, Mountains to Sound, Washington Trails Association, etc.); and community events (Cascade Bicycle Club, Mercer Island Farmers Market, Footloose Disabled Sailing, etc.).   Approximately 250 Island students provided about 10,000 hours of community service in summer 2017 at more than 50 nonprofit organizations in King County.

You asked for it, and finally they're here... The City's Right-of-Way Team is piloting bright blue public recycling bins around Town Center at long last. There are currently four locations and we hope you use them - e ven the bins themselves are made from recycled material!

City crews will service the bins and monitor usage for a year. If it works as well as expected, more will be installed as funding permits.   Please deposit the following: Aluminum Cans, Plastic Cups and Bottles, Glass Bottles, Mixed Paper (including coffee cups and lids), Cardboard (including juiceboxes). And don't forget old adage: "If in doubt, throw it out."