Monday, October 23, 2023

A Special "Thank You" to the Nisqually Indian Tribe 2023!




On behalf of the Senior Center of Rainier we want to express our sincere gratitude to the Nisqually Indian Tribe for their generous grant of $5,000.  This grant played a pivotal role in enhancing our emergency preparedness efforts and acquiring a much-needed commercial freezer.

The Nisqually Indian Tribe's support was invaluable to use and we are deeply appreciative of their commitment to our community's safety and well-being.  With the grant funding we were able to bolter our emergency preparations, ensuring that we can respond effectively to unforeseen challenges and emergencies.

The acquisition of a commercial freezer was a significant step forward for our organization.  It not only expanded our capacity to store and distribute food to those in need but also contributes to our sustainability initiatives.  This appliance allows us to better serve our community and minimize food waste, making a positive impact on the lives of those we support.

Their investment in our mission was more that a financial contribution; it's a demonstration of trust and partnership.  We look forward to keeping everyone updated on the progress of our emergency preparedness efforts.

Once again, we send out a special "Thank You" to the Nisqually Indian Tribe for their generosity and commitment to our community.  Their support makes a lasting difference in the lives of those we serve!

We now have 10 cots, blankets, shower and shelf stable food.
 We have 10 portable     cots, a portable shower and shower pan, 25 soft blankets, 24 emergency blankets, lots of shelf stable food and towels.  

The City of Rainier has supplied us with an emergency radio.  We do radio checks once a month. 

We are open as a heating and cooling shelter in inclement weather.

We have 3 ductless heating & cooling  heat pumps.  

Our utility bill was under $200 for the first time in months and months.  

Right after we received the grant from the Nisqually Indian Tribe, we were told about a grant for a grant for Solar Power with Battery Back-up.

We applied for this grant.  We knew that Dollar General had to 
delay opening because of the power situation in Rainier, so we applied for the grant.  We encouraged Rainier Chapel and Valley Heart Assembly of God Church to apply, also, as they are both designated emergency shelters, along with the Senior Center of Rainier.  We all found out we were approved for Track 1 of the grant process in the end of August. 

We weren't sure until then what our grant status was.  Our situation changed with that news.

We ordered our first commercial freezer on August 25, 2023.  It fell through.  Our second freezer on September 9th.  It fell through.  We went to Costco, but they don't deliver to Rainier and had merchandizing freezers.  We needed a commercial freezer to be Health Department compliant.  

This freezer was ordered from Restaurant Equippers in Ohio.  It was delivered a week after it was ordered.  What a blessing.

It replaces 3 chest freezers and one upright freezer.  Our utility bills have dropped dramatically.

Our freezers and refrigerators are all close together, so we can keep them running with a portable generator in an emergency.  Before we had 2 chest freezers in our dining room and one in the hallway by the side entrance.  I don't know how we would have keep our frozen food safe in an extended power outage.

We are grateful and appreciate the Nisqually Indian Tribe's help the Senior Center of Rainier! You have made a tremendous difference in the lives of our senior citizens and the volunteers who work in our kitchen.  Thank you!  We couldn't have done it without your help!





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