City shelters receive 100 blankets
Published 9:20 am Tuesday, December 23, 2014
The REACH Center of Hope and the city’s cold weather shelter got the gift of 100 blankets from Waste Management Dec. 18.
The effort was started by employee David Della and Waste Management’s Operations Team, who organized quickly to round up all 100 blankets for the city’s two shelters. Lead Renton drivers Jason Lange and Russell Ruhle organized their fellow drivers to donate the blankets. There were also cash donations to purchase blankets from other drivers in the region. The company supports a nationwide campaign called “Blankets Across America” at the corporate level.
“It’s important because we’re part of this community,” said Alan York, senior district manager, about the donations. “We need the community to succeed and we have to give back to the community that we live in, that we work in and that’s what we’re doing today.”
The donations were presented to Center of Hope Director Dr. Linda Smith and Mayor Denis Law. Smith said she saw a Waste Management truck on her way into work and said she has a new respect for the company, calling the blankets life-giving and much-needed for the city’s needy.
“This is really amazing, we are so thankful for this partnership,” she said.
Waste Management serves more than 20 million customers in the U.S. and Canada and has about 30 to 50 drivers in Renton.
