For 17 years, Assistance League® of Amador Valley has supported a much-needed program called Operation School Bell®. Since the program started, it has clothed 4,918 children from the cities of Livermore, Pleasanton and Dublin.
The first four years of this program Assistance League members worked with Title 1 schools, sending letters to the homes of those children whose names were given to us by the schools’ office staff. With the information received, the League was able to order and fill backpacks with items of new clothing and take them to the schools for distribution to the children.
Members began to receive more money through Grants and fundraising events allowing it to clothe more children. Each year in the spring, the Mad Hatter’s Tea is held where 100% of the funds raised go directly to Operation School Bell and clothing the children. This upcoming year’s tea will be held on April 14, 2018 at the Shrine Event Center in Livermore.
In 2005, the children were invited to Mervyn’s to shop for the items. This was the beginning of a special experience for both members and the children shopping together. The children were excited to be shopping and making clothing choices with the help of members. Lots of smiles and hugs were shared.
This hands-on experience of the Operation School Bell program was a success and continues with children from K – 5th grade.
In 2008, partnership was started with Kohl’s and has continued to the present day as children choose school clothes October/November 2017. In addition to the clothing they are also given a gift card toward the purchase of shoes. They are also able to choose an appropriate age book to take home.
This success would not be possible without the help of Assistance League of Amador Valley volunteers, local high school students, family, friends and community volunteers helping members to shop with these children.
Assistance League of Amador Valley is a non-profit organization dedicated to hands-on volunteering. Our mission statement is: Assistance League volunteers transforming the lives of children through community programs.
In addition to Operation School Bell, programs include:
• Caring for the Retired and Elderly provides companionship and assistance with special events for the elderly at the Pleasanton Nursing and Rehabilitation Center and helping out at the Sage Café located in the Senior Center.
• Screening Eyes Early provides vision screening for preschoolers to detect “lazy eye” and other vision problems for more than 1,300 preschoolers
• Birthday Bags serves children between 1-17 years of age at Tri-Valley Haven’s Homeless and Domestic Violence Center in Livermore.
• Food for Families provides the Tri-Valley Haven Food Pantry with approximately $700 of food each month. Using a list provided by the Pantry, Assistance League volunteers purchase food and deliver it to the Pantry bi-monthly.
• Foster Kids provides books and outing activities to The Gathering Place in Pleasanton.
For more information, call 925-461-6401 and or follow the League on Facebook @ Assistance League of Amador Valley
