Our Community Service Programs

Transforming Lives • Strengthening Community

Readers Are Leaders Volunteer reading in classroom

Readers Are Leaders

During the 2022-23 school year, our members read two books each month to over 1,400 students in 53 second and third grade classrooms. The books, along with related projects, are left in the classroom. At holiday time, each child received a book of their own to take home.

Screening Eyes Early working with a child

Screening Eyes Early (S.E.E.)

During the 2022-23 year, the Screening Eyes Early Program screened over 350 preschool children at 11 schools to detect early signs of amblyopia (lazy eye) and poor eyesight, alerting parents and teachers to possible sight issues.

Assist-a-Shelter Petting Zoo at Family Supportive Housing

Assist-a-Shelter

Members cook dinner once a month at San Jose’s Family Supportive Housing. Four times a year, they put on a special event for the families. Members also read to Moms and their children at Parisi House on the Hill and volunteer at CityTeam, helping to provide clothing to the city’s residents in need.

Bagging Uniforms

Operation School Bell®

During the 2022-23 school year, Assistance League of San Jose provided school uniforms and sweatshirts to over 6,000 students in San Jose schools (pants, shirts and socks).

Baby in layette from Caring Hands

Caring Hands

In the 2022-23 year, Caring Hands created over 2,500 baby blankets for new moms at local hospitals, plus additional quilts and lap blankets for Parisi House on the Hill, Family Supportive Housing, and two residential care facilities.

Senior Bingo at A Grace

Senior Bingo

Assistance League members provide craft activities, bingo with small prizes, holiday foods and musical entertainment to residents at San Jose’s A Grace Sub Acute & Skilled Care facility and Stonebrook Convalescent Homes.

Hug-a-Bear

Hug-a-Bear

Assistance League of San Jose donates thousands of teddy bears to organizations serving children in crisis through organizations including the San Jose Police Department, Santa Clara County domestic abuse centers, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center and Family Supportive Housing.

Year in Review

94%

of funds raised are returned to the San Jose community

27+

thousand people served in the San Jose community

33+

thousand hours volunteered

News & Events

  • All
  • Donors
  • Events
  • News

Did You Know?

In 1906, Anne Banning began a relief unit in response to the SF earthquake and fire, calling it Assistance League. In 1919, she organized Assistance League of Southern California, now known as Founder Chapter to provide food and clothing for local families impacted by WWI. What are you doing for your community? 🧒🏽🧒🏼 Get involved! […]

“Happy Birds” Visit Family Supportive Housing

AL of San Jose volunteers hosted a ‘Happy Birds’ special event at Family Supportive Housing. The Happy Birds troupe’s amazing parrots entertained the resident families with their fun, interactive, educational presentation. Do you like to brighten someone’s day? Join us!

Read Across America Day

🎂Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss! AL of San Jose’s Readers Are Leaders program supports literacy for children throughout the year, reading in over 50 classrooms and donating books to the schools and students. 📖One of our members created a beautiful quilt that reminds of us of our connection to National Education Association’s ‘Read Across America Day’. […]

Welcome, New AL of San Jose Memberes

The AL of San Jose Board met with new members for a Meet & Greet Social. The theme of the get-together was “These are a Few of Our Favorite Things” – new members are definitely one of our favorite things! 🥰Welcome to our chapter! We are all looking forward to working with you on our […]

Cookies for Family Supportive Housing

L of San Jose ❤️ loves baking cookies for the children at Family Supportive Housing. Each month 8-10 members sign up to make 4 dozen different kinds of 🍪 cookies each. These delicious cookies are packaged in individual baggies and given to the 👦🏽🧒🏽children to go with their lunches or as an afternoon treat! Like […]

Registration for Lunch with the Authors Closes February 28th

You Don’t Want to Miss Lunch with the Authors on March 14th! Our In-Person tickets are sold out but you can still attend by Live-Stream. Register now for this wonderful fundraising event before it’s too late! Registration ends February 28th. For more details and to register, click on the banner at the top of the […]

Guest Speaker, Ken Toren, CEO American Red Cross of the Silicon Valley

Our chapter was excited to welcome our guest speaker Ken Toren, CEO of American Red Cross of the Silicon Valley to our ALSJ General Meeting on February 15. We were thrilled to hear stories about how our 🐻 Hug-a-Bears offered comfort to children after the recent storms and fire disasters. “These children, who had been […]

2 Books for the Classroom plus 1 Book to Take Home

If you could hear the children cheer🎉when the volunteers arrive, you would understand how much fun we have and how important it is to bring the joy of reading to so many students.🥰For their February visit, Readers Are Leaders volunteers read 🍦”Ice Cream Man” and 🫖”Clovis Keeps His Cool” in 52 second and third grade […]

Screening Eyes Early (S.E.E.) Screens Preschool Children

👀 Did you know only 40% of children under 5 years of age have had vision screening, while 1 in 20 preschool aged children have a vision problem. It’s about preventing permanent vision loss! 👓 In January, AL of San Jose visited 5 preschools, screened the eyes of 179 children, and referred 8. 🤩ALSJ trained […]

Thank You from Family Supportive Housing

Our chapter delivered our cuddly 🧸 Hug-a-Bears to Family Supportive Housing and received a gracious thank you. It is so rewarding to partner with this shelter and spread 😊joy supporting our San Jose community.

Thank You, Safeway Foundation

Our partnership with The Safeway Foundation empowers us to make a difference in our community. Whether it’s books for children, food for the hungry, or clothing for babies in need, together we can make a positive change for a better tomorrow! Won’t you join us?

You Don’t Want to Miss Lunch with the Authors!

Register now for this wonderful fundraising event before it’s too late! Our In-Person registration is closed but you can still attend the Live-Stream event. Registration closes February 28th. For more details and to register, click on the banner at the top of the page.

News & Events

  • All
  • Events
  • News

Did You Know?

In 1906, Anne Banning began a relief unit in response to the SF earthquake and fire, calling it Assistance League. In 1919, she organized Assistance League of Southern California, now known as Founder Chapter to provide food and clothing for local families impacted by WWI. What are you doing for your community? 🧒🏽🧒🏼 Get involved! […]

“Happy Birds” Visit Family Supportive Housing

AL of San Jose volunteers hosted a ‘Happy Birds’ special event at Family Supportive Housing. The Happy Birds troupe’s amazing parrots entertained the resident families with their fun, interactive, educational presentation. Do you like to brighten someone’s day? Join us!

Read Across America Day

🎂Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss! AL of San Jose’s Readers Are Leaders program supports literacy for children throughout the year, reading in over 50 classrooms and donating books to the schools and students. 📖One of our members created a beautiful quilt that reminds of us of our connection to National Education Association’s ‘Read Across America Day’. […]

Welcome, New AL of San Jose Memberes

The AL of San Jose Board met with new members for a Meet & Greet Social. The theme of the get-together was “These are a Few of Our Favorite Things” – new members are definitely one of our favorite things! 🥰Welcome to our chapter! We are all looking forward to working with you on our […]

Cookies for Family Supportive Housing

L of San Jose ❤️ loves baking cookies for the children at Family Supportive Housing. Each month 8-10 members sign up to make 4 dozen different kinds of 🍪 cookies each. These delicious cookies are packaged in individual baggies and given to the 👦🏽🧒🏽children to go with their lunches or as an afternoon treat! Like […]

Registration for Lunch with the Authors Closes February 28th

You Don’t Want to Miss Lunch with the Authors on March 14th! Our In-Person tickets are sold out but you can still attend by Live-Stream. Register now for this wonderful fundraising event before it’s too late! Registration ends February 28th. For more details and to register, click on the banner at the top of the […]

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