The start of a school year was a perfect time to kick off the Assistance League’s seven community programs with a wine and cheese reception and open house Aug. 24.
The league of volunteers, founded in 1970, has a special longtime philanthropy, Operation School Bell, which each year teams with Kohl’s for more than 2,500 area school kids to shop for new school clothes.
School community liaisons who work with Operation School Bell were some of the special guests at the reception.
The league’s popular Bargain Box Thrift Store, at 405 S. Nevada Ave., helps fund the group’s programs. This past year, the 147 members volunteered 22,482 hours, making available $209,000 for charitable work in El Paso County.
Other programs include Assault Survivor Kits with emergency clothing for 1,475 survivors.
In Operation Can You Hear Me?, 902 preschoolers were screened last year for early hearing loss.
Buddy Bear teddy bears went to those in traumatic situations.
The Halloween Wishes closet has costumes for indigent children.
Through Sweet Dreams, new beds are given to teens leaving foster care or homelessness.
The newest program, Helping Neighbors, gives thrift store clothing vouchers to homeless people leaving hospitalization.
One of the league’s earlier programs, The Kids on the Block running 1987-2012, was an educational program of large puppets, some with disabilities. Reception guests were offered an opportunity to make donations to adopt the puppets, which went to new homes at schools, nonprofits and children’s ministries.
Photo gallery: gazette.com/life/around-town
