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Thrift Shop News

Click on the image for the Thrift Shop info page!
Click on the image for the Thrift Shop info page!

Many ways you can help!

Planet Green Recycle Program

Donate – Make a donation support our philanthropic programs.

Legacy Society – What will your legacy be? Click Here for details.

CARS Program – We are partnering with CARS who auctions donated vehicles – Donors will receive free pick-up & tax receipts.  Our organization receives revenue! Please Click on the CARS Symbol to start your donation.

Ralph’s Community Contribution Program – Click Ralphs – Ralph’s Community Contribution Program for the instructions.

Volunteer Awards 2025-2026

Volunteer of the Year

The Volunteer of the Year award recognizes an individual who has shown exceptional dedication and impact through their volunteer work.
We are pleased to introduce our 2025 Volunteer of the Year: Shelley de Ganna.  Shelley is an amazing Thrift Shop manager.
Under her leadership, sales have grown and continue to grow. You may not know that Shelley accepted the Thrift Shop manager position in the first year of her membership, so she had to learn about ALRSD and the Thrift Shop at the same time!
Shelley is positive, energetic and passionate.  Her positive energy encourages members to want to work at the Shop.  She works well with everyone, including all temperaments and levels of flexibility.  And she is an idea generator, which has led to new ideas for more sales.  But she also welcomes others’ ideas, and she thanks each member for their contribution.
She also works hard to market the shop.  She spearheaded the effort to win the “Best of North County” competition in the Coast News, where we won Best Thrift/Consignment Shop and Antiques/Collectibles for two years running.
No one puts in more effort and hours.  She is on-call morning and night to troubleshoot Point of Sale and answer any other Shop questions members or others may have.
For these reasons, please join me in honoring Shelley as the 2025 Volunteer of the Year!

Ada Edwards Laughlin Award


The Ida Edwards Laughlin Award was presented to Lisa Zimnowodzki. The award is named for the co-founder of Assistance League who was less visible and filled the role of hardworking unsung assistant to Anne Banning.
Lisa joined AL 10 years ago. In the beginning, she enjoyed working on fundraising events (and still does), but she found the backroom donation processing to be her perfect spot. She has become the driving force behind the jewelry department’s success – collaborating with members to merchandise seasonal jewelry, encouraging off site sales, improving and expanding displays and taking time to meet with generous donors to learn about the items donated and maximize the return on their donations. She puts in countless hours, tagging and organizing each piece even when she is flat on her back for weeks or when traveling she leaves behind extra inventory, so our displays never look bare.
In the last fiscal year, jewelry sales accounted for over $51,000, making it the second highest revenue category in the shop. Be sure to congratulate Lisa and thank her when you are in the shop!

Ann Banning Leadership/Education Award

The Anne Banning Leadership Award is named after the founder of the Assistance League, Anne Banning. She promoted the growth of volunteering through leadership and education. This award demonstrates the importance and value of Leadership, while also honoring the accomplishments and dedication of the recipient.
Our 2025 recipient of the Anne Banning Leadership Award is Eunhwa Lenehan. She is consistently called upon to assist our members with their technical issues. Eunhwa is a true leader who aids all of us in our ability to function as a productive organization.
Eunhwa leads by providing a myriad of functions for our Chapter.  Here are just a few:
. Recording Volunteer hours
. Processing a new member
. Validating contact information
. Maintaining our website & Database
. Verifying donations
. Setting up an on-line payment

Eunhwa is truly our “tech guru”.

President’s Award

The President’s Award is a special recognition presented to a specific member by the President of the Chapter. It is presented to someone who has significantly aided and assisted the President throughout the year.
This year’s recipient is Debbie Beauchesne. Although there are many, many deserving members who make countless contributions; the impact that Debbie has made is at the core of our organization.   Debbie has been an extraordinary Philanthropic Chairman. Her dedication to our Programs has had a direct correlation to my taking and keeping the position of President. I can depend on Debbie anytime/anyplace to give me facts and supporting figures about our various philanthropies and their impact on the community. She has set several goals…and has met all of them.
Debbie and I shared a vision for ALRSD; “to expand and elevate our philanthropic programs”.  We often reflect on a moment while sitting next to each other at a Nominating Committee meeting back in February of 2023. I turned to Debbie and said, “I’ll take President, if you’ll take Philanthropic” and she answered with, “I’ll take Philanthropic, if you’ll take President.” I never regretted the deal we struck that February afternoon and have thoroughly enjoyed and respected her purposeful and effective work on our Philanthropic Programs.
Thank you, Debbie!  by Linda Kermott

News & Events

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Operation School Bell/Camp Pendleton

8,800 children of enlisted military families at Camp Pendleton recently enjoyed a free shopping spree for new school clothes courtesy of seven chapters of Assistance League®. This is the sixteenth year that chapters of Assistance League have collaborated to offer this shopping opportunity at Camp Pendleton.

Preschool English Literacy Program (PREP)

We had such a fun time with our little guys at Head Start!  Christmas was in the air!  At the end of tutoring, we presented each child with a snowman bag with a knitted snowman ornament inside to hang on their tree or wherever.

Assisteens back in Action

The Assisteens are happy to be meeting in person again and have been quite busy.  They have volunteered for Feeding San Diego, the Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation, Meals on Wheels, the Thrift Shop, and Flowers for Seniors.  We currently have 31 members and are meeting monthly at San Dieguito United Methodist Church.  Space for new […]

Bravo for Books

Great Job ALRSD! In recognition of our “Bravo for Books” program, we received this letter from our State Senator, Catherine Blakespear! Keep doing the “good work”!

OSB/Target 2024

Over 700 children experienced a joyful back-to-school clothes shopping experience at Target in Encinitas thanks to the Assistance League!  Superintendents, board members and community liaisons from Encinitas, Cardiff, and Solana Beach school districts as well as the Passages and Seeds of Hope programs hugged, grinned and shopped their way through the store.  Our AL volunteers […]

Preschool English Literacy Program (PREP)

Kathy Aubin, Pam Pacilio, and one of our new members, Joanne Orlo, assembled 67 School Supply Kits for the Encinitas Head Start, formerly Solana Beach Head Start.They moved in May to a beautiful, new site off Saxony Road near the Paul Ecke YMCA. The kits included pencils, crayons, scissors, glue sticks, coloring books and dinosaur stickers. […]

Accepting Applications for Volunteers

Become a member! Join an incredible group of volunteers dedicated to making a difference in Coastal North County San Diego.
Assistance League of Rancho San Dieguito welcomes new members at any time.

Visit Our Thrift Shop

The Thrift Shop is our primary source of funding for our philanthropic programs.  We are proud of our reputation as one of the best and friendliest thrift shops in the Coastal North County San Diego area.  Our members work hard to make sure the merchandise is always good quality, clean, and priced fairly.

Shop Information

Address:
1542 Encinitas Blvd.
Encinitas, CA  92024
(located in the Taco Bell mall)

Hours of Operation:
Mon – Sat :  11:00 am – 4:00 pm
Closed Sundays

More Information