Our Community Service Programs

Transforming Lives โ€ข Strengthening Community

Readers Are Leaders Volunteer reading in classroom

Readers Are Leaders

During the 2024-25 school year, our members read two books each month to over 1,000 students in 49 second and third grade classrooms. The books, along with related projects, are left in the classroom. Each child received a book of their own to take home at the holidays and 3 books to read over the summer.

Screening Eyes Early working with a child

Screening Eyes Early (S.E.E.)

During the 2024-25 year, the Screening Eyes Early Program screened 528 preschool children at 19 pre-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 food and toiletries to the city’s residents in need.

Bagging Uniforms

Operation School Bellยฎ

During the 2024-25 school year, Assistance League of San Jose provided school uniforms and sweatshirts to over 4,500 students in San Jose schools (pants, shirts, sweatshirts, underwear and socks).

Baby in layette from Caring Hands

Caring Hands

In the 2024-25 year, Caring Hands created over 2,300 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

Bingo

Assistance League members provide craft activities, bingo with small prizes, holiday foods and gift bags 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 inย the San Joseย community

28

thousand hours volunteered

News & Events

  • All
  • News

My, how you have grown!!

In May, AL of San Jose volunteers, including our Master Gardener member, helped children plant a garden๐ŸŒฑ๐Ÿชด at #familysupportivehousing. Members returned to FSH to thank staff๐Ÿ™ for their support and see how the garden was growing. What a difference a little time and care can make! ๐Ÿ’ง๐ŸŒž๐ŸŒป Manuel Zapien, a staff member at FSH who […]

Readers Are Leaders 2024-2025

Our members had the pleasure of ๐Ÿ“– reading to๐Ÿ‘ง๐Ÿฝ 2nd and๐Ÿ‘ฆ๐Ÿฝ 3rd graders once a month from ๐Ÿ—“๏ธ October to April. It was incredibly rewarding to ๐Ÿ‘€ witness the excitement of the ๐Ÿ‘ง๐Ÿฝ ๐Ÿง’ students as they discovered which๐Ÿ“• ๐Ÿ“— two books we would share with them each month, along with the special ๐Ÿงฉ enrichment […]

Assist-a-Shelter – Family Supportive Housing 2024-2025

AL of San Jose members showed creativity by developing and leading their own enrichment classes๐ŸŽถ๐Ÿ‘ฉ๐Ÿผโ€๐ŸŒพ , engaging both children and adults ๐Ÿ‘ฉ๐Ÿฝโ€๐Ÿ‘ง๐Ÿฝโ€๐Ÿ‘ฆ๐Ÿป๐Ÿ‘ช at Family Supportive Housing. Throughout the year, members brought in 40 dozen homemade cookies ๐Ÿช๐Ÿช, and prepared 600 dinners.๐Ÿ—๐Ÿฝ๏ธ๐Ÿ

Caring Hands 2025-2025

Throughout the year, AL of San Jose members knit and crochet blankets that are given to hospitals for newborns ๐Ÿ‘ถ, to Parisi House for their moms ๐Ÿ‘ง and babies, and to care facilities ๐Ÿ‘ต๐Ÿผ Do you knit or crochet? ๐Ÿงถ Want to help your community? Join us!

Assist-a-Shelter – CityTeam 2024-2025

In our Assist-a-Shelter program, our members have: ~Supplied numerous ๐Ÿงด ๐Ÿงผ ๐Ÿช’toiletry kits that are distributed by CityTeam to individuals in ๐Ÿคฆ๐Ÿฝโ€โ™‚๏ธ ๐Ÿคฆ๐Ÿฝโ€โ™€๏ธ ๐Ÿ‘ง๐Ÿฝ ๐Ÿ‘ฆ๐Ÿฝ shelters and those experiencing homelessness. ~Packaged thousands of ๐Ÿฅซcanned, ๐Ÿš packaged, and ๐Ÿฅฆ ๐ŸŒฝ๐Ÿฅ’ fresh foods at CityTeamfor community members in need. What a ๐Ÿ™ privilege it is to be […]

Annual Chapter Picnic

On June 11 it was no work and all play. New friends were made and old friends got to visit at our picnic. ๐Ÿ‘ญ Games were played, songs were sung, ๐ŸŽผ and we all just ‘hung loose’ ๐Ÿค™with a Hawaiian theme. ๐ŸŒบ Thank you to Zanotto’s who provided complete and delicious luncheons for everyone! ๐Ÿฅช […]

Assist-a-Shelter – Parisi House on the Hill 2024-2025

Throughout the year, ALSJ members have actively interacted with clients at Parisi House on the Hill through ๐Ÿ“—reading stories, bringing in ๐Ÿช๐Ÿชbaked goods, published authors and stress-relief trainers, and in donating items, including ๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘–clothes,๐Ÿช€๐Ÿงธ toys and ๐Ÿ“šbooks.

Screening Eyes Early 2024-2025

Visual impairment in preschoolers can affect motor skills ๐Ÿƒ๐Ÿปโ€โžก๏ธ, cognitive development ๐Ÿคท๐Ÿฝโ€โ™€๏ธ, and social skills ๐Ÿ‘ซ. Some conditions such as amblyopia ๐Ÿ‘๏ธ(lazy eye) can be cured completely if caught early. ALSJ trained screeners uncover dozens of these issues ๐Ÿ‘€ every year so these children can learn and develop without a visual handicap. ๐Ÿง‘๐Ÿปโ€๐Ÿซ

Operation School Bell 2024-2025

In our Operation School Bellยฎ program, weโ€™re not just providing school clothing๐Ÿ‘ซ๐Ÿป โ€” weโ€™re helping build self-confidence and ensuring every student feels like they belong. ๐Ÿฅฐ A beautiful thank you ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿผwe received that says it all: โค๏ธ”Before the end of the school year, I want to say thank you for all your help and collaboration […]

Books for Summer Reading

AL of San Jose Readers Are Leaders volunteers delivered three books ๐Ÿ“•๐Ÿ“—๐Ÿ“˜ to every student in the program to keep, take home and read during the summer. ๐ŸŒžThat’s over 3,500 books delivered! The students couldn’t even wait until summer to open their new books.๐Ÿ˜ƒ๐Ÿ’—๐Ÿ“–๐Ÿ“–๐Ÿ“– It’s important that they keep reading throughout the summer months to […]

May 2025 End of the Year Meeting

At the end of each year, we take a few minutes to reflect, to acknowledge, and to renew. We reflect on the past year’s accomplishments ๐Ÿง, we acknowledge last year’s board ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿฝ, and we renew our commitment to service with the induction of the incoming board. ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€โค๏ธโ€๐Ÿ‘ฉ

Cooking and Serving at Family Supportive Housing

Our AL of San Jose volunteers had an absolute๐Ÿ’ฅblast ๐Ÿ‘ฉ๐Ÿปโ€๐Ÿณwhipping up and๐Ÿ› dishing out a๐Ÿ˜‹ scrumptious feast at Family Supportive Housing! Feast your eyes on this menu magic: Roasted Chicken๐Ÿ—, ooey-gooey๐Ÿง€ Mac n Cheese, fresh๐Ÿฅ— Salad,๐Ÿฅ– fluffy Rolls, ๐Ÿฅฆ Broccoli Florets (even the kiddos gobbled them up!), ๐ŸŒฝ Corn on the Cob, and a smorgasbord […]

News & Events

  • All
  • News

My, how you have grown!!

In May, AL of San Jose volunteers, including our Master Gardener member, helped children plant a garden๐ŸŒฑ๐Ÿชด at #familysupportivehousing. Members returned to FSH to thank staff๐Ÿ™ for their support and see how the garden was growing. What a difference a little time and care can make! ๐Ÿ’ง๐ŸŒž๐ŸŒป Manuel Zapien, a staff member at FSH who […]

Readers Are Leaders 2024-2025

Our members had the pleasure of ๐Ÿ“– reading to๐Ÿ‘ง๐Ÿฝ 2nd and๐Ÿ‘ฆ๐Ÿฝ 3rd graders once a month from ๐Ÿ—“๏ธ October to April. It was incredibly rewarding to ๐Ÿ‘€ witness the excitement of the ๐Ÿ‘ง๐Ÿฝ ๐Ÿง’ students as they discovered which๐Ÿ“• ๐Ÿ“— two books we would share with them each month, along with the special ๐Ÿงฉ enrichment […]

Assist-a-Shelter – Family Supportive Housing 2024-2025

AL of San Jose members showed creativity by developing and leading their own enrichment classes๐ŸŽถ๐Ÿ‘ฉ๐Ÿผโ€๐ŸŒพ , engaging both children and adults ๐Ÿ‘ฉ๐Ÿฝโ€๐Ÿ‘ง๐Ÿฝโ€๐Ÿ‘ฆ๐Ÿป๐Ÿ‘ช at Family Supportive Housing. Throughout the year, members brought in 40 dozen homemade cookies ๐Ÿช๐Ÿช, and prepared 600 dinners.๐Ÿ—๐Ÿฝ๏ธ๐Ÿ

Caring Hands 2025-2025

Throughout the year, AL of San Jose members knit and crochet blankets that are given to hospitals for newborns ๐Ÿ‘ถ, to Parisi House for their moms ๐Ÿ‘ง and babies, and to care facilities ๐Ÿ‘ต๐Ÿผ Do you knit or crochet? ๐Ÿงถ Want to help your community? Join us!

Assist-a-Shelter – CityTeam 2024-2025

In our Assist-a-Shelter program, our members have: ~Supplied numerous ๐Ÿงด ๐Ÿงผ ๐Ÿช’toiletry kits that are distributed by CityTeam to individuals in ๐Ÿคฆ๐Ÿฝโ€โ™‚๏ธ ๐Ÿคฆ๐Ÿฝโ€โ™€๏ธ ๐Ÿ‘ง๐Ÿฝ ๐Ÿ‘ฆ๐Ÿฝ shelters and those experiencing homelessness. ~Packaged thousands of ๐Ÿฅซcanned, ๐Ÿš packaged, and ๐Ÿฅฆ ๐ŸŒฝ๐Ÿฅ’ fresh foods at CityTeamfor community members in need. What a ๐Ÿ™ privilege it is to be […]

Annual Chapter Picnic

On June 11 it was no work and all play. New friends were made and old friends got to visit at our picnic. ๐Ÿ‘ญ Games were played, songs were sung, ๐ŸŽผ and we all just ‘hung loose’ ๐Ÿค™with a Hawaiian theme. ๐ŸŒบ Thank you to Zanotto’s who provided complete and delicious luncheons for everyone! ๐Ÿฅช […]

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