Corona-Norco Branch

Corona-Norco Branch
of Assistance League® of Riverside

Dedicated to Clothing, Comforting, and Educating Children in the Corona-Norco Community

The Corona-Norco Branch started June 1, 2021, as the second branch to be authorized by the National Assistance League and operates under the umbrella of the Assistance League of Riverside. The primary focus of the branch is on clothing, comforting, and educating children and youth in the Corona-Norco Community.

As a branch, it recruits local members and community volunteers and manages and raises funds for programs within its service area through grants, donations, and other local fundraising events.

The branch’s first program, Operation School Bell, started in October 2021 and served 93 children at the Target in Corona Crossings during the 2021-2022 fiscal year. The program served another 126 children in 2022-2023 and 166 children in 2023-2024 at the Target in Norco. This year, the goal is to clothe another 175 children.

SOAR (Students Overjoyed About Reading), which started in 2021-2022, provides after-school reading and tutoring for children in the Corona-Norco Unified School District (CNUSD). The program has been very effective in improving participating students’ reading levels according to the data collected by the district. Over 150 students have been served by this program. This year the program will be implemented in two schools: Todd Elementary and Orange Elementary in CNUSD.

Financial Literacy is another branch program that started in the 2022-2023 school year and continued during the 2023-2024 school year. In 2022-2023, 24 CNUSD students were served and last year, 70 students participated. 85% of the students completed their certificates in financial literacy. This coming year, Financial Literacy will be held in six schools across CNUSD, and we are adding several community volunteers as instructors to cover the expansion of the program.

The newest program the branch has embraced is Bear Pals, which started last year. Nearly 200 bears have been delivered thus far to organizations in the Corona-Norco Community that serve children facing traumatic situations. The goal is to increase that number for the 2024-2025 school year.

The Corona-Norco Branch of the Assistance League of Riverside is growing and making an impact in the local community.

Operation School Bell (OSB)

Students Overjoyed About Reading (SOAR)

Financial Literacy

Bear Pals

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Leadership Team

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from left to right…

Branch Liaison
Carol Nichols

Assistant Treasurer
Ruth Grubb

Branch Chair
Lanelle Gordin

Recording Secretary
Beth Bloechle

Committee Leaders

Hospitality
Audrey Main
Fundraising
  Open
Public Relations
  Laurie Gwyn
Operation School Bell
Carol Nichols
SOAR
Nonette Allen
Financial Literacy
John Gordin
Spring Fundraiser
  Open
Dining for Dollars
Eva Heras

Corona-Norco Branch News

Temescal Valley Community Faire

Kudos to the Temescal Heritage Foundation for once again hosting a fun, entertaining and informative Temescal Valley Community Faire this past Saturday. Our Branch members volunteered for the 5-10K run/walk and staffed the Fair’s Welcome Booth. We also had a booth where we were able to talk with community members about our volunteer nonprofit’s focus on clothing, comforting and educating local children and youth.

2025 Community Hero Award Recipients

During our annual fundraising gala, Denim & Diamonds, on Saturday, May 3, the Corona-Norco Branch of Assistance League^© of Riverside will present its Community Hero Award to three men who have “gone above and beyond expectations” to help local youth.

Patriot Day

Members of the Corona-Norco Branch of Assistance League of Riverside volunteered serving refreshments to participants and attendees at the 9/11 Patriot Day event sponsored by the Corona Chamber Foundation, City of Corona and Corona Chamber of Commerce. In this photo, Lanelle Gordin, Eva Heras and Jackie Costello are standing in front of the old City Hall, where flags with the names of the 2,977 people who perished on September 11, 2001 were placed. During the event, the names of everyone who died that day were read followed by a formal ceremony which featured several speakers, including two elementary school students who interviewed their parents about where they were on 9/11. The theme of the event was, “We Will Never Forget.”

Operation School Bell Begins!

Elaine Lewis, community volunteer, and members Lanelle Gordin and Terri Odette are ready for students to come into the Target store in Norco to select new school clothes through our Operation School Bell program. This year, the Branch expects to provide school clothes to 175 students.