Each year, if qualified vans are available, Intercity Transit awards retired vanpool vehicles to eligible nonprofits and government agencies within our service area (Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater and Yelm) through a competitive application and review process. Instead of selling these vehicles at auction, the Surplus Van Grant Program repurposes them to expand mobility and address transportation needs across Thurston County. Retired from active transit service, these passenger vans continue serving the community by helping local organizations provide vital transportation and essential door-to-door services.
Surplus Van Grant Program Grantees
2026
Boys & Girls Clubs of Thurston County (BGCTC) serves young people and families across nine Club locations in Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, Yelm, Tenino, and Rochester. The mission of BGCTC is to inspire and enable youth to realize their greatness and reach their full potential. BGCTC believes all children and teens, no matter who they are or where they are from, deserve the chance to create a great future for themselves. The clubs are available during out-of-school hours to help inspire and guide youth in a positive direction through academic enrichment, service leadership and healthy lifestyle activities. With a dedicated van, BGCTC will address unmet transportation needs by providing transportation for evening and weekend programs, college visits, career exploration events, and community activities for youth who might otherwise be unable to participate.
Wee Love Learning Early Learning Center serves children from 1 month through 11 years of age by providing full-day childcare and early learning programs, as well as before- and after-school care for school-age children. Wee Love Learning supports working families throughout Thurston County, including families using state childcare assistance (DSHS) and those requiring full-day care due to work schedules. Transportation remains a significant challenge, as many families lack reliable transportation for consistent drop-off, pick-up, and participation in school-age programming. The van awarded to the organization will help address this need by increasing participation, reducing missed care days, and improving access to preschool and school-age programs during the school year and summer months.
Innovations Human Trafficking Collaborative (IHTC) provides comprehensive services to survivors of sex and labor trafficking, as well as individuals at high risk of exploitation throughout Thurston County. The organization serves a highly vulnerable population, including individuals who are homeless or unstably housed, youth, young adults, immigrants, refugees, and survivors experiencing poverty, trauma, or involvement with social service and justice systems. Many individuals served do not have access to safe, reliable transportation. With the grant-funded van, IHTC will expand its ability to transport survivors safely to essential services throughout Thurston County, reduce missed appointments caused by transportation barriers, and respond more quickly to urgent situations, such as assisting individuals actively exiting trafficking situations or relocating to safe housing.
City Gates Ministries has served Thurston County for 30 years by providing practical, relationship-based support that helps stabilize individuals and families facing a wide range of challenges. In 2025, City Gates served more than 10,480 individuals, supported by over 9,400 volunteer hours, and provided essential resources — including food, furniture, and housing stabilization support — to thousands of households. With the granted van, City Gates Ministries will implement a coordinated transportation program that supports medical and recovery transportation, employment and job training access, senior services, and youth and community programming.
2022 - 2025
No qualified vans were available, so we were unable to grant any vehicles.
2021
The Bridge Music Project teaches youth how music, writing and community can be used as tools to deal with life’s challenges. Most of the youth who participate have experienced major life challenges such as foster care, homelessness, and incarceration. The Bridge partners with the City of Olympia, Olympia School District, Olympia Juvenile and Family Court, and Together. They face a consistent challenge – transportation!
City of Olympia Homeless Response Team and Scattered Site Program: The Homeless Response Team responds to issues and concerns related to people experiencing homelessness. This program will dedicate the surplus van to responding to situations efficiently and effectively, offering needed supplies such as water, food, hygiene items, socks, hand warmers, and garbage bags. They plan to transport 1,300 people to needed resources in the community next year to include access to mental and medical services. The Scattered Site Program works with three homeless sites. Their mission is Together, Safe and Clean for All. There are an estimated 150 individuals who reside in these scattered sites. This program expects to provide 780 trips next year, connecting to housing services and other resources. They do not currently own a vehicle and are Community Vans users. These two programs will share a van.
Coastal Community Action Program is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life of families, the elderly, children and youth, and people with disabilities. The transportation problem they are proposing to solve with a surplus van is to provide reliable transportation for developmentally disabled participants that do not have access to public transportation. This will allow the opportunity to gain independence and work toward self-sufficiency. They currently work closely with our Village Vans program to provide transportation outside the Village Vans service hours and service area. They are currently unable to accommodate 70-80 trips each month for current clients. The surplus van award will allow them to expand services throughout Thurston County.
Innovations Human Trafficking Collaborative's (IHTC) mission is to engage first responders, tribes, and other stakeholders in eliminating human trafficking through solution-based knowledge and trauma-informed strategies, and to empower survivors to heal and build self-sufficient, affirming lives. IHTC is the only Indigenous and survivor-lead human trafficking services organization in Washington, and the only organization in the South Sound serving Indigenous survivors of human trafficking. Currently IHTC staff uses their person cars for transportation. A surplus van from Intercity Transit would allow staff to transport clients and other stakeholders throughout Thurston County.
Interfaith Works Homeless Services Program currently operates 61 shelter beds which provided 22,265 bed nights in 2020 for 205 adults. Their Navigation Team reaches 300 unsheltered people each month. In 2021 they will complete construction of a new facility, titled Unity Commons. This will be a 60-bed shelter along with 65 apartments and will provide 140 adults with a place to live and thrive. Their transportation needs will increase dramatically with this expansion. They will use a surplus van to provide trips to DSHS, Social Security, medical appointments, and the Food Bank.
OlyMAP provides services to individuals experiencing homelessness. They work with a population with many barriers. Having a van of their own would allow them important flexibility in transporting participants to appointments, job interviews, and community resources. They anticipate 1,938 trips next year to the Food Bank, to work, field trips, and summer camps. OlyMAP is an active Community Vans user.
Partners in Prevention Education (PiPE) works with unhoused survivors of violence, prioritizing BIPOC and transgender survivors. They provide outreach, survivor advocacy, and trauma-informed therapy and support groups. With the support of Community Vans, they provide outreach to 12-15 encampments of unhoused people, transporting them to appointments and providing survival goods. Receiving a van would support their program by providing a consistent way of transporting more people to safety confidentially and allow them to expand their program.
Peer Washington: Peer Olympia is the newest service location for Peer Washington. They opened their doors to provide a full array of peer support services to adults in Thurston County, particularly for individuals experiencing homelessness and veterans. They do not currently have transportation support to access services. They do not own any vehicles. They will use a van to bring people from places such as SafePlace, Camp Quixote, Plum Street tiny houses, and Lacey Veterans Hub for weekly support meetings with peer coaches or employment and housing Peer Services Specialists. 1,200 trips are planned for this upcoming year.
SafePlace: There are number of transportation problems that would be alleviated at SafePlace if awarded a Surplus Van, so they thank Intercity Transit for this opportunity. SafePlace provides services for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in this county and is celebrating its 40th year serving Thurston County. With over 30 employees covering services in six programs: Emergency Shelter; Supportive Housing; Legal Advocacy; Sexual Assault Services; 24/7 Crisis Helpline, and Prevention Programs. The agency currently has only one vehicle. Having another van would be instrumental to SafePlace improving service options within these program areas.
Senior Services for South Sound’s mission is to improve the quality of life for people as they age. They provide Transportation, Senior Nutrition, Brighter Days Adult Day Care, Care Connection, Senior Center Activities, Resource Advocates, State Health Insurance Benefits Advisors, Trips & Tours, and Budd Bay Bargains. These programs all support the organization’s mission to fulfill the needs of seniors. They provide transportation to those without access. They partner with Catholic Community Services and Volunteer Services and own a 2002 Chrysler Town & Country vans with just under 200,000 miles which has become unreliable, and the surplus van would replace this vehicle.
The River Walkers has limited vehicle access to transport youth to activities such as school activities, and field trips, indigenous cultural experiences, and tribal canoe journeys. They are a supplemental program for Camp Wa-Ya. They plan for 1,740 trips with a surplus van.
TOGETHER has a vision that all young people are supported, healthy, safe, and valued. They mobilize families, schools, and the community to solve community problems. They would benefit if awarded a van due to the need to transport youth, supplies, and distribute assistance to the community they serve. They currently have one van and use North Thurston School District for transportation, which is not enough. A second van would allow for expansion of services. They expect 862 added trips with a surplus van.
Thurston County Food Bank: now in their thirteenth year, they have continuously run a gleaning program to ensure that surplus fresh fruits and vegetables produced on local farms and community gardens make it to community members in need. Intercity Transit has been an integral partner in that work, providing them with a surplus van to transport hundreds of volunteers and 277,000 pounds of food since 2010. With a new van they expect to add 448 trips with the added benefit of transporting 300-400 pounds of fresh produce.
Thurston County Police Academy Athletic Association Elite Boxing Academy anticipates 2,024 trips for at-risk youth, providing them with life skills by deescalating situations and maintaining self-control. They are the Elite Boxing Academy and serve 70 members who attend training sessions, tournaments, assist with homework, tutoring, and provide transportation to and from school. Providing this organization with a van will help the youth fulfill their goals and objectives.
Veterans Service Hub – City of Lacey: Lacey Veterans Service Hub is a one-stop location for Veterans Services. Services include Benefits and Financial Eligibility Screening, Military Service Verification and Documentation, Education and Academic Eligibility Screening, Veterans Administration Claims Assistance, Mental and Physical Health Benefits and Referral, Substance Abuse Referral, Rural Veteran Program Access and Outreach, Housing and Food Assistance, Employment and Training Opportunities, and Peer to Peer Training. Many Vets cannot financially afford a vehicle, fuel, or other modes of transportation. Many have disabilities that prevent them from driving or walking alone. The surplus van will be utilized to assist transportation needs with an expected 7,200 trips annually.
2020
- Behavioral Health Resources
- Catholic Community Services
- Innovations Human Trafficking Collaboration
- Interfaith Works
- Sacred Heart
- SafePlace
- Thurston County Food Bank
2019
- Coastal Community Action
- Kokua Services
- Veteransl Suicide Prevention
- Wa-Ya Outdoor Institute
2018
- Behavioral Health Services
- Catholic Community Services (CCS)
- Community Youth Services
- Senior Services for South Sound
- Family Education and Support Services
- Kokua Services
- Nature Nurtures Farm
2017
- Lacey Veterans Services Hub
- Community Youth Services Senior Services of South Sound
- TOGETHER!
- Yelm Senior Center
- Thurston County Food Bank
- Wa-Ya Outdoor Institute
2016
- Community Youth Services
- Boys and Girls Club of Thurston County
- Senior Services of South Sound
- Community Action Council
- City Gates Ministries
- Center for Natural Lands Management
2015
- Catholic Community Services
- Community Youth Services
- InterFaith Works
- YWCA
2014
- Boys and Girls Club of Thurston County
- Community Youth Services
- Olympia Gospel Mission
- Senior Services of South Sound
2013
- GRuB
- Boys and Girls Club of Thurston County
- Panza for Quixote Village
- Thurston County Food Bank
2012
- Wee Love Learning Early Learning Center
- Boys and Girls Club of Thurston County
- Catholic Community Services
- Thurston County Police Athletic League (PAL)
2011
- Olympia Christian School
- Olympia Gospel Mission
- Senior Services for South Sound
2010
- Early Learning Center (center closed - van returned)
- Senior Services for South Sound
2009
- Capital Clubhouse
- Community Youth Services
- Yelm Adult Senior Services
- Thurston County Food Bank
2007
- Behavioral Health Resources
- Bread and Roses
- Partners in Prevention
- Senior Services for South Sound
2006
- Behavioral Health Resources
- Catholic Community Services
- Morningside
- Senior Services for South Sound
2005
- Behavioral Health Resources
- Boys and Girls Club
- Pacific Peaks Girl Scout Council
- Union Gospel Mission
2004
- Behavioral Health Resources
- Bread and Roses
- Habitat for Humanity
- Senior Services for South Sound