Assistance League of Birmingham was established as a guild of National Assistance League® in September 1976 and was chartered as the 66th chapter in 1980. The chapter is a nonprofit, nonpolitical, nonsectarian organization dedicated to helping those within its community to achieve a better, more meaningful way of life. Today we have over 80 volunteers dedicating over 10,000 volunteer service hours to our community annually.
National Assistance League has its headquarters in Burbank, California. The Founding Chapter was organized in 1894, and National Assistance League was formed in 1935. Today there are 120 chapters nationwide performing 3 million service hours and returning nearly $44 million back into the local communities.
Operation School Bell® is the signature philanthropic program of National Assistance League and is administered by all chapters. Assistance League of Birmingham established our program in 1985 and has clothed over 36,000 children in the metropolitan area since that time. Each year, school counselors designate the children who are in need of clothing for school wear. These children are provided with appropriate school clothing, warm hoodies, undergarments, and a hygiene kit.
In 2000, Operation Literacy was adopted as a philanthropic program. Operation Literacy provides a book to each elementary school student who attends Operation School Bell. Funding for these books comes in part through the sale of used books in ALB’s store, thereby supporting literacy efforts through reading.
The philanthropic programs are supported by chapter-sponsored fundraising events, grants, and contributions from individuals, corporations, and the communities we serve. In addition, Assistance League of Birmingham opened an upscale thrift shop in 2010. The shop sells gently used clothing, furniture and decor at very reasonable prices. The thrift shop has brought in additional monies to help support the philanthropic programs of Assistance League.