Momentum - Business to Business Online Magazine MOMENTUM May 2020 | Page 36

NON-PROFIT OF THE MONTH LISA HOLBROOK Chapter President, 2019-2020 Assistance League of the Bay Area [email protected] https://www.assistanceleague.org/bay-area/ Assistance League of the Bay Area CHANGES LIVES OF 3,234 STUDENTS A ssistance League of the Bay Area’s members spend countless hours ensuring economically disadvantaged students select new school clothes so they fit right in with all the rest of their classmates. The chapter’s largest philanthropic program, Operation School Bell®, has existed for over 20 years. However, this past fall, on November 5, 2019, the organization experienced a landmark date. On that day, the 3,231 students completed their selection: 498 more students than were dressed during the 2018-2019 school year. Phase 1 dressing began on August 17 and ended September 21. During that period, 3,031 students attended dressing events at the three local Kohl’s stores (Baybrook, League City and Pasadena) and the Galveston Island Target. They were greeted by dedicated volunteers and given a budgeted amount to use to select their purchases, including clothing, shoes, and personal undergarments. At checkout, each student was given a hygiene kit and a Sesame Workshop book, Healthy Teeth, Healthy Me. Students also were able to select books donated by local schools and at the Baybrook Kohl’s books donated by the store. A total of 6,952 books were placed in the hands of these students. Two Phase 2 dressing events were held at the Baybrook and League City Kohl’s stores on October 5 and November 7. Since then, during a November 22 emergency dressing, an additional three students received clothing — a total to date of 3,234 students whose lives have been changed by Assistance League efforts. There were many firsts this year: • Two new school districts were added — Deer Park and Texas City ISDs. • The Texas City ISD partnership focused on dressing the large student population identified as homeless. Dressing before the August 28th start of school enabled 388 students to receive new clothing and shoes. Dr. Terri Burchfield noted, “100% of these students attended the first day of school.” 34 MOMENTUM • Pre-packaged hygiene kits were purchased and included a toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, lotion, deodorant, a comb, and a brush. • United Way of Houston Project Undercover honored Operation School Bell with a donation of socks and underwear. These items were distributed to our partner Clear Creek ISD schools located in Harris County. • Polo shirts were purchased for the students from Galveston ISD, and the Mosbacher Odyssey Academy Charter School, Galveston. • Odyssey Galveston requested socks and underwear for their young elementary students. A total of 240 pairs of socks and 362 pairs of underwear were delivered to that campus. • Kohl’s Cash was used to purchase clothing, socks, underwear, and jackets on the wish list supplied by each school in Dickinson ISD sizes ranging from 2T through 4XL. • A donation of socks was received from the 5th grade Girl Empowerment Movement students at Clear Creek ISD’s Weber Elementary as a thank you to Operation School Bell. As a result of a dedicated committee of volunteers, faithful partners at the school districts and flexible retail sales associates, it was an unbeatable combination. To learn more about Assistance League of the Bay Area, visit our website, www.assistanceleague.org/bay-area. Chapter members line up to assist with Operation School Bell at the Kohl’s in League City. Front row: Betty Walcott, Sarah Foulds, Cathy Wolfe, and Kathleen Courville; back row: Karen Douglass, Betty Stoub, and Madeline Nugent.