Operation School Bell® in the SCV

The results are in! 1,742 happy students from all of the elementary and junior high schools in Santa Clarita, are now wearing new clothes and shoes provided by Assistance League Santa Clarita funding. For fourteen evenings, volunteer members were on hand to help the families of children in need shop for school clothes at Kohl’s and receive gift cards for Payless Shoes. “Some of the stories of families we helped this year really tugged at your heart and solidified why we do what we do!!  We are all making the difference by reaching out to others.” said President, Mel Johnson. Operation School Bell, the signature National Assistance League® program, provides school clothing, hygiene kits and shoes free of charge to children identified by their schools and accompanied by their families in a shopping event. The goal is to help them feel not only better about themselves, but also good about going to and staying in school. Each year this program lays a foundation for better learning by providing new clothes and literacy programs to more than 250,000 children across the nation. In the past sixteen years, Operation School Bell has provided much-needed services for more than one million schoolchildren nationwide.
Carol Lenoir, one of this year’s chairman, stated, “We’re excited to be adding Junior High students to the program this year. Operation School Bell is based on the belief that children perform better in school when they have a positive self-image” Susan Ponton, co-chairman, added, “Operation School Bell helps prepare students for school and gives them a positive starting point for learning and academic success.”
Assistance League is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to put caring and commitment into action through community-based philanthropic programs. Established in Los Angeles in the early 1890’s, Assistance League was the first nonprofit, nonpolitical, nonsectarian organization begun in the West to recognize the potential of volunteers in helping those less fortunate to a better, more meaningful life. Information about local Assistance League membership, philanthropic programs and community involvement can be found on their website www.assistanceleague-alsc.org or call 661-255-1991.