The Assistance League of Riverside, run entirely by volunteers, works to better the lives of Riverside children, with a mission of providing clothing, comfort and education.
The Assistance League is a national nonprofit organization, with 26,000 members in 120 chapters nationwide. The Riverside chapter has been serving the community for 50 years as of this month.
One of the main services the chapter offers is Operation School Bell, which provides clothing to children in kindergarten through 12th grade. It helped outfit 2,000 students for school last year.
The charity also provides emergency clothing for children who have been victims of disaster, such as a house fire.
Bobbi d’Arc, president of Assistance League of Riverside, said it can be difficult to stock clothing that children will feel confident wearing, so the organization partners with JCPenny’s at the Galleria at Tyler and the Moreno Valley Mall. Children receive gift cards so they can choose their own clothes.
The Assistance League’s Snack Attack program works to help children get the nutrition they need. Volunteers pack bags of snacks for children to eat during the weekend when they don’t have access to school lunches. The bags are delivered to 13 schools every Friday. Last year, the program provided low-income and homeless children 25,000 bags of snacks.
“It motivates the kids if they are dressed to go to school, and having nutritional meals motivates them even more,” d’Arc said. “The kids we serve have better attendance according to the schools.”
According to d’Arc, funding the Assistance League programs is always difficult. This year, the charity received a grant from the Fred Stebler and Eva V. Stebler Foundation Fund through The Community Foundation to support the Snack Attack program.
The largest portion of the organization’s funding comes from sales at its thrift shop at 3707 Sunnyside in Riverside. The shop offers boutique items, clothing for men, women and children, household items and some furniture.
Assistance League of Riverside has 200 members and 55 Assisteens, or youth volunteers. Many Assisteens work in the thrift shop where they can gain work experience and learn about ways to give back to the community.
Overall, the volunteers donate 30,000 hours of their time annually. But the organization is always looking for new volunteers and members.
Information: 951-682-3445 or riverside.assistanceleague.org
The Community Foundation’s mission is to strengthen Inland Southern California through philanthropy.
/ The Community Foundation
