Assistance League® of Phoenix’s Operation School Bell® Clothes its 100,000th Child
(PHOENIX – March 3, 2017) – Operation School Bell® is the largest philanthropic program of Assistance League® of Phoenix and on Thursday, March 2, Cynthia Cleever, a fourth-grader at Cactus Wren Elementary School, became the 100,000th child to receive a school uniform package as part of this signature program.
Operation School Bell, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, serves 85 schools in 11 school districts throughout Maricopa County. The program provides full school uniform packages to children whose families live at or below the poverty line. Each child receives a package of all-new, high quality items including three polo-style shirts, two bottoms (pants, shorts, or skirt), a pair of shoes, six pairs of socks, six pairs of underwear, a sweatshirt, a belt, a health kit and a grade-level book of their choice.
“We are so proud to have reached this milestone,” said Brenda Sperduti, Assistance League of Phoenix executive director. “We know how important clean, well-fitting clothes and new shoes are to a child’s confidence and attitude, so we are incredibly proud when we can do this for our community’s children and watch them leave with their heads held high and full of smiles.”
To mark this significant milestone, Assistance League of Phoenix held a special celebration. Besides Cleever, 32 other children from Cactus Wren also received their school uniform packages. After
all children received their uniforms and picked out books, they gathered outside by the Delivering Dreams Bus for a pizza lunch with long-time members from Assistance League of Phoenix before heading back to school. City Councilwoman Debra Stark was also in attendance and read a proclamation from Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton naming March 2nd, “Assistance League of Phoenix Day.”
Throughout the school year, Kindergarten through 8th grade schoolchildren are either bussed to Assistance League of Phoenix’s Philanthropic Center; or the Delivering Dreams Bus, a mobile dressing center commissioned four years ago, heads to the individual schools. Students have an opportunity to “go shopping” with a volunteer, selecting their uniform and other personal items. While waiting for their turn, students work on crafts, read a book, or play a board or computer game.
About Assistance League of Phoenix
Assistance League of Phoenix is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that has been serving children and families in the Greater Phoenix area since 1960. The organization has 190 member volunteers and is affiliated with a national non-profit organization with 122 chapters nationwide. Last year, Assistance League of Phoenix members volunteered over 32,000 hours and raised over $1 million to serve thousands of children and families in the greater Phoenix community through six Philanthropic Programs. Community volunteers added an additional 4,000 hours of service. For more information about volunteer opportunities or to donate, visit www.alphxaz.org/.
