Operation School Bell ®
Operation School Bell (OSB,) the signature national program of Assistance League, originated with the purpose of clothing children who might otherwise be unable to attend school because they lacked the most basic school attire. What began in the 1950s as a “clothes closet” that distributed used clothing to school children has evolved into a comprehensive program providing new clothing, health assistance, learning materials and enrichment programs to more than 300,000 recipients nationwide, annually. Assistance League of Flintridge is proud to have been a part of Operation School Bell since 2005 and serves approximately 1,500 students during the school year.
Each year, Operation School Bell coordinates effort with school district representatives and community organizations to serve local students. During 2023-2024, OSB provided 800 hygiene kits for students in Pasadena Unified School District and another 400 to Friends in Deed, an organization dedicated to bridging the gap between those in need and the resources to meet those needs.. Hygiene kits are delivered to various locations such as these on an as-requested basis. Each kit provides basic toiletries like hairbrush, toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, and other products. Assembling the kits is a group effort with ALF members and Assisteens working together to prepare them.
OSB also delivered 400 pairs of shoes this year to Learning Works Charter School in Pasadena. Learning Works advocates for the poor and disengaged to help them achieve their high school diplomas. For more about Learning Works, see the press announcements below.
Additionally this year, students were given backpacks full of school supplies, gift cards and Chromebooks. Backpacks were filled by members and with the support of a Girl Scout Brownie troop. Families who qualified were able to visit Assistance League of Flintridge and select the backpack and supplies of their choice.
Typical Hygiene Kit
The goal of Operation School Bell is to provide basic school materials to children with the aim of raising their self-esteem, increasing school attendance and improving classroom performance. Assistance League of Flintridge works with the La Cañada Unified School District to identify students in need and to provide new clothing, backpacks, school supplies, personal care kits, and shoe/clothing gift cards to these children. Additionally, ALF partners with Assistance League of Pasadena in their OSB program providing assistance where needed. Our auxiliary members, Cañada Auxiliary of Professionals (CAP), also support the program.
In 2016, when members of Assistance League of Flintridge learned that over 600 students in the neighboring Sunland-Tujunga area were identified as homeless, the program was expanded to serve this need. Working with the Homeless Education Program of Los Angeles Unified School District, the ALF Operation School Bell committee proposed that 400 vouchers for $25 to purchase shoes and personal care kits be provided for homeless students in Sunland-Tujunga. ALF members enthusiastically approved the gift and have since coordinated a number of projects in the region.
