{"id":980,"date":"2015-08-20T17:50:55","date_gmt":"2015-08-20T17:50:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/al2.dev.confluencecorp.com\/boise\/?page_id=980"},"modified":"2025-11-23T15:53:46","modified_gmt":"2025-11-23T20:53:46","slug":"programs","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.assistanceleague.org\/chesapeake\/programs\/","title":{"rendered":"Our Programs"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Operation School Bell<\/strong><\/h3>\n

This signature program of all Assistance League chapters aims to provide appropriate assistance to enhance self-esteem, promote learning and encourage regular school attendance. In 2023-2024, our chapter served more than 8,500 students through two Operation School Bell programs:<\/h4>\n

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Kids In Need (KIN)<\/h3>\n

Did You Know?<\/strong> Your donation of $70 will purchase a uniform for one child.<\/h4>\n

<\/i> Support Kids In Need<\/a><\/p>\n

In 2024-25 Assistance League of the Chesapeake provided over 3,100 new school uniforms to students in seven Title I elementary schools and one middle school in Anne Arundel County. Since 2003, we have provided close to 34,000 uniforms to in-need students in our county.<\/p>\n

\"Assistance<\/a><\/p>\n

The uniform package consists of two navy blue shirts, khaki pants, navy blue crew neck sweatshirt, socks and underwear. Most students receive one uniform set and some receive two, depending on their need.<\/p>\n

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Members take inventory of the items that make up the uniform package at the end of a successful school year.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cEarly in the Kids In Need program, we would hand the children each packaged item and ask them to open it. This one little guy tightly wrapped his tiny arms in an \u201cX\u201d around his shirt that was still in the plastic bag and kept saying \u2018I can\u2019t open this now, I have to show my mom this! I have to show my Mom this. This is something new, just for me and nobody has ever worn this before.\u2019 I suddenly realized, that he had never had new clothing before. I turned to our chapter president and whispered, \u2018We are putting this unopened shirt in his book bag. He can wear a second one home.\u2019 \u201d <\/span><\/span><\/h4>\n

\u2014 <\/em>M. Kelly, AL Chesapeake member since 2005<\/span><\/h4>\n

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Project Literacy<\/h3>\n

Our volunteers help students learn language arts by reading to them weekly in the schools\u2019 libraries. They also work in classrooms, sponsor literacy-based enrichment programs, donate books to students, and organize several enrichment activities that promote positive behaviors for an effective learning environment.<\/p>\n

In 2023-2024, the program reached close to 4,000 students.<\/p>\n

\"Project<\/a><\/p>\n

Assistance League makes sure every child in the schools we serve receives a book of their own to take home and share with their families.<\/p>\n

Did You Know?<\/strong> Your donation of $80 can provide books for an entire classroom.<\/h4>\n

<\/i> Donate Now<\/a><\/p>\n

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Mary O\u2019Malley Backpack Friends<\/h3>\n

\"Mary<\/a>
\nThanks to a generous donation last year in memory of our beloved Assistance League member Mary O\u2019Malley, we were able to add a new philanthropic program to Operation School Bell.<\/p>\n

Mary O\u2019Malley\u2019s Backpack Friends was formed to assist Meade Heights Elementary School with their Backpack Buddy Program that provides assistance to students identified with food insecurities.<\/p>\n

So far, we have provided close to 1,131 weekend breakfast, lunch and dinner food items for the 2024-25 school year for those students in need of assistance. We continue to address those needs in the current school year. Total distribution to date is close to 2,000 food items.<\/p>\n

Our members also help pack backpacks on Thursday mornings with non-perishable food for the weekend.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Kids On The Block<\/strong>” tab_id=”1543773577432-ad93b80a-9faa”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”2\/3″][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n

Kids On The Block Educational Puppet Troupe<\/strong><\/h3>\n

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Our volunteers and their life-size puppets visit elementary school classrooms throughout the county to talk with students about cultural differences, bullying, and learning differences. The targeted scripts help children accept individual differences and learn valuable social skills. We start by sharing our video of the KOTB performance. Then our puppets visit with the students, who come to identify with the puppets and open up to them as if they were trusted friends.<\/p>\n

Our puppet troupe will visit 33 schools each year, from October through April.<\/p>\n

Kids On The Block puppets teach children:<\/strong><\/p>\n