Sixty grants totaling $90,000, with some of the money earmarked for seniors’ programs, has been awarded by King County for community-oriented projects and events in unincorporated parts of the county.

Community Engagement grants, administered by the county’s Department of Local Services, support programs and projects such as emergency-preparedness training, movie nights, native pond habitat restoration, and senior centers. Grants benefitting senior programs include:

• Rainier Foothills Wellness Foundation senior partner program in southeast King County, $1,000.
• Federal Way Senior Center, $4,300 for a commercial dishwasher for the nutritional meal program.
• Sno-Valley Senior Center, $2,800 for two AED machines and $2,500 for a plant sale benefitting children’s education.

The grants help “build stronger neighborhoods, improve our quality of life, and create positive connections between residents,” said County Executive Dow Constantine.

To qualify for grants, community organizations or volunteers must put up at least one quarter of the total cost of their project or event.