ASSISTANCE LEAGUE OF GREATER PORTLAND

OPERATION SCHOOL BELL : OPERATION SCHOOL BELL, THE CHAPTER'S FLAGSHIP PROGRAM, PROVIDES NEW, APPROPRIATE SCHOOL CLOTHING FOR CHILDREN IN NEED, GRADES PRE-K THROUGH 12. ALL RECIPIENTS FALL BELOW THE NATIONAL POVERTY LEVEL AND/OR ARE HOMELESS. TWO MAIN PROCESSES WERE USED TO PROVIDE THIS SERVICE. IN THE PORTLAND PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT, NEW CLOTHING PURCHASED BY THE ASSISTANCE LEAGUE OF GREATER PORTLAND IS PROVIDED FOR DISTRIBUTION TO THE PORTLAND PTA CLOTHING CENTER, SERVING PORTLAND PUBLIC SCHOOLS; WICHITA CENTER FOR FAMILY AND COMMUNITY SERVING NORTH CLACKAMAS SCHOOL DISTRICT; AND SNOWCAP COMMUNITY CHARITIES, SERVING PARKROSE, CENTENNIAL, DAVID DOUGLAS, GRESHAM/BARLOW AND REYNOLDS SCHOOL DISTRICTS. CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O.IN THE BEAVERTON AND HILLSBORO SCHOOL DISTRICTS, THE SCHOOLS' COUNSELORS REFER FAMILIES WHO HAVE THE GREATEST NEED AMONG THE MANY CHILDREN AT RISK. EACH STUDENT RECEIVES A REDEEMABLE VOUCHER AT DESIGNATED LOCAL FRED MEYER STORES. THIS WAS THE THIRD YEAR USING THE VOUCHERS INSTEAD OF THE CHAPTER HOSTING IN-STORE SHOPPING EVENTS. THIS MODIFICATION WAS DEVELOPED BY THE OPERATION SCHOOL BELL PROGRAM TEAM IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE BEAVERTON AND HILLSBORO SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO BETTER SERVE THE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN NEED. IN THE 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR, 3,205 VOUCHERS WERE DISTRIBUTED, AND 3,093 VOUCHERS (96.5%) WERE REDEEMED.THE ASSISTANCE LEAGUE OF GREATER PORTLAND PROVIDES SEASONALLY APPROPRIATE NEW CLOTHING IN VARIOUS SIZES TO THE STUDENTS THAT USE THE PORTLAND PTA CLOTHING CENTER, SERVING PORTLAND PUBLIC SCHOOLS; WICHITA CENTER FOR FAMILY AND COMMUNITY SERVING NORTH CLACKAMAS SCHOOL DISTRICT; AND SNOWCAP COMMUNITY CHARITIES, SERVING PARKROSE, CENTENNIAL, DAVID DOUGLAS, GRESHAM/BARLOW, AND REYNOLDS SCHOOL DISTRICTS. THE CHAPTER SERVED AN ESTIMATED 1,355 CHILDREN WITH $65,000 WORTH OF CLOTHING PURCHASED WHOLE-SALE IN THE 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR. THE OPERATION SCHOOL BELL PROGRAM BEGAN IN 1998 AND HAS INCREASED THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN SERVED SUBSTANTIALLY SINCE INCEPTION. THIS PROGRAM IS UNIQUE IN THAT THE CHAPTER PROVIDES NEW CLOTHING. RESEARCH SHOWS THAT NEW CLOTHES BUILD CHILDREN'S SELF-ESTEEM SO THAT THEY CAN ATTEND SCHOOL DRESSED APPROPRIATELY TO THEIR PEER LEVEL AND READY TO LEARN. FEEDBACK FROM SCHOOL COUNSELORS AND PARENTS SHOW INCREASED STUDENT CONFIDENCE AND READINESS FOR SCHOOL INSTEAD OF AVOIDANCE.

DURING THE YEAR ENDED MAY 31, 2025, THE ASSISTANCE LEAGUE OF GREATER PORTLAND'S VOLUNTEERS DONATED 44,475 HOURS (MEMBER VOLUNTEERS DONATED 44,446 HOURS, COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS DONATED 29 HOURS) WITH AN ESTIMATED NET VALUE OF $1,547,285. THIS VALUE WAS COMPUTED USING AN ESTIMATED HOURLY RATE OF $34.79, BASED UPON THE AVERAGE HOURLY EARNINGS OF NON-AGRICULTURAL WORKERS IN THE U.S. FOR THE TIME PERIOD OF JANUARY - DECEMBER 2024, AS DETERMINED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR'S BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS, PLUS 15% FOR ESTIMATED FRINGE BENEFITS. CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O.OTHER PROGRAMS - THE CHAPTER ALSO SUPPORTS THE FOLLOWING:* CORDERO RESIDENTIAL: CORDERO IS A RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT HOME FOR TEENAGE BOYS OPERATED BY JANUS YOUTH PROGRAMS. UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE CORDERO STAFF, ASSISTANCE LEAGUE MEMBER-VOLUNTEERS PROVIDE ENGAGING ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS CRAFTS, PROJECTS, AND OUTINGS FOR ENRICHMENT TWICE EACH MONTH FOR BOYS IN THE PROGRAM. ADDITIONALLY, MILESTONES, SUCH AS BIRTHDAYS, SPECIAL OCCASIONS, PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENTS, AND GRADUATIONS ARE RECOGNIZED AND CELEBRATED WHEN THEY OCCUR. DURING THE YEAR ENDED MAY 31, 2025, THE CHAPTER SUPPORTED 17 YOUNG MEN.* SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM: THE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM PROVIDES FUNDS TO STUDENTS ENTERING TRADE PROGRAMS AT PORTLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE, MT HOOD COMMUNITY COLLEGE, AND CLACKAMAS COMMUNITY COLLEGE. EACH COMMUNITY COLLEGE'S FOUNDATION ACCEPTS, SCREENS, AND AWARDS SCHOLARSHIPS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THEIR POLICIES AND DIRECTIVES. FUNDS MAY BE USED FOR TUITION, BOOKS, SUPPLIES, AND OTHER MATERIAL NEEDS. A TOTAL OF $100,000 IN SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS WERE PROVIDED TO DESERVING STUDENTS.* PROFITS PROGRAM: THE PROFITS PROGRAM PROVIDES RETAIL OPPORTUNITIES FOR TRANSITIONAL STUDENTS SEEKING INDEPENDENCE. YOUNG ADULTS AGES 18-21 WITH AN IEP (INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PLAN) AT A PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL TRAIN FOR JOB OPPORTUNITIES TWICE WEEKLY IN THE ASSISTANCE LEAGUE THRIFT AND CONSIGNMENT SHOPS. THERE WERE 10 STUDENTS AND BY SCHOOL YEAR END, 4 STUDENTS WERE IN PAID EMPLOYMENT WITH THE LARGER COMMUNITY (RETAIL, HEALTH CARE, AND TECHNOLOGY).