Assistance League, founded in California, is the first nonprofit, nonpolitical, nonsectarian organization to recognize the potential of volunteers helping those less fortunate to a better, more meaningful life. The first chapter began in Los Angeles in 1919. As the area grew, more chapters were formed. To support the growing number of chapters, National Assistance League was organized in 1936 and incorporated in 1949.
From this modest beginning, Assistance League has grown to 120 chapters with over 23,000 members throughout the United States. Assistance League chapters served 1.5 million people, returned over $38 million to local communities and invested nearly 3.2 million service hours.
Interest in starting the Amador Valley chapter began in 1990 with about 40 members, and was later chartered in 1995.
Assistance League of Amador Valley currently has 100 member volunteers working to make Amador Valley a better place to live and work through our programs. Our chapter supports 8 community-based philanthropic programs benefiting everyone from toddlers to adults residing in the Tri-Valley. These programs include:
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- Birthday Bags. Our members create a Birthday Bag that has all the essentials for a party for children celebrating a birthday while they are living at a local shelter.
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- Books of My Own. This program encourages literacy among elementary school children. We partner with elementary school classroom teachers in the Tri-Valley to choose a book title to be studied in class, which our chapter purchases. After reading the book in school, each child gets to keep a copy of the book, becoming a “book of my own.”
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- Food for Families. Donate food to the Tri-Valley Haven food pantry in Livermore twice a week, especially critical program since the beginning of COVID-19.
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- Foster Kids. Work with the Alameda County Social Services Agency to supply college-bound, foster students with backpacks and essential school supplies. We also provide reading books for children to read during their visits with their biological parents.
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- Operation School Bell®. Our largest philanthropic program to go shopping with school age children at the local Kohl’s for school clothing each Fall.
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- Scholarship. We award 2 scholarships in 2023 to graduating high school seniors in the Tri-Valley who are continuing their education at an accredited 4-year college/university or a certified technical/trade school. This year we introduced a new scholarship for Las Positas College graduating students that are transferring to a 4-year college/university.
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- Screening Eyes Early. Our trained members work with local Tri-Valley preschools to test the children for amblyopia and other vision problems.
We encourage you to learn more about our chapter and the many ways you can become involved and make a difference.