US Bank donated a $5,000 grant to the Drug-Free Youth Coalition at Navos headquarters in Burien on March 27. The coalition aims to reduce drug and alcohol abuse among Highline area teens. From left to right: US Bank District Operations Manager Dusty Bailey, US Bank White Center Branch Manager John Hannahs, and Coalition Coordinator Rudy Garza.
The White Center branch of U.S. Bank showed their support for a burgeoning coalition aimed at reducing drug and alcohol abuse among White Center and Burien youth on March 27 with an oversized check for $5,000.
John Hannahs, branch manager for the White Center US Bank, said 40 percent of his job is engaging the community and business owners, and that the donation “is highlighting a part of US Bank and what they work towards in supporting the community.”
Hannahs is also a member of the Coalition for Drug-Free Youth, chairing the Leadership Council.
“Education for students, a decrease in drug abuse, hopefully education towards a smarter youth so we have less problems with adolescents,” Hannahs said of his hopes for the Coalition.
Rudy Garza of Navos and the coalition coordinator said, “This grant will allow the coalition to better engage students and youth in our community by supporting projects that involve them directly.”
The Coalition for Drug-Free Youth is made up of a cornucopia of White Center and Burien community members, counselors, business owners, law enforcement and more, operating primarily through a King County grant. They are taking student and community surveys now to better understand the face and factors involved in underage drug and alcohol abuse, and will take that information to develop a plan for outreach and education in the coming months.
Navos, heading up the coalition, is a private non profit organization that helps low-income and vulnerable youth and adults with emotional and mental illness.
