History of Assistance League® of Greater Cincinnati

National Assistance League was the first nonprofit, nonsectarian organization founded in the Western United States to recognize the potential of volunteers in helping those less fortunate to a better life. Founder Anne Banning was part of a small group of women in the Los Angeles area who did charitable work in the early 1890's. In 1906 she responded to the San Francisco earthquake and fire by organizing a relief unit, calling ti Assistance League. In 1919, she and a group of twelve friends organized Assistance League of Southern California to provide food and clothing for local families impacted by World War I. In 1955, Ruth Ann Montgomery of Bakersfield, California, began providing school clothes to children whose families could not afford them. She had seen children in a family coming to school on a rotating basis because they shared the same clothes. After becoming a part of Assistance League, Ruth Ann and her friends named the program Operation School Bell. In 1997 to became the national program of Assistance League. Over the years, additional programs and services were added to address the emotional and physical needs of children and adults.

Assistance League of Greater Cincinnati began in 1995 as a small guild affiliate of National Assistance League with sixteen caring women whose sole focus was to identify community needs and develop possible solutions that the all-volunteer organization could provide. Within three years, the forty founding members were proud to become the 101st chapter of National Assistance League.

One of the first matters undertaken by the newly chartered Assistance League chapter was to develop a mission statement that reflected the intentions of the founding members. Their mission was to be a "nonprofit volunteer service organization whose dedicated members identify, develop, implement and fund
ongoing philanthropic projects to improve the quality of life of adults and children in our community". Although the wording has been modernized over the years, to still aligns with that of the founders and National Assistance League.

Throughout our history as a chapter, Assistance League has experienced tremendous growth in both membership and demand for services. The cornerstone program, Operation School Bell, has grown from providing new clothing for 40 students at one school to current projections of clothing for over 3000 students at numerous schools in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. Mindful of our social responsibility to changing social conditions, other programs providing assistance to victims of assault and domestic violence as well as disadvantaged college students have been developed and are experiencing similar expansion.
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From its inception, Assistance League has made it a priority that publicly raised monies are used locally for philanthropic programs. Through wise management of funds and generous donations, costs are kept to a minimum so that more than 80% of money raised goes directly to the community, thus improving the educational and life experiences of adults and children ni need. New clothes help begin a child's school year. Household goods and new bedding help a battered woman begin a life away from her abuser. A collection of school supplies helps to launch a college student's dream of a higher education. These acts of our members demonstrate the integrity, service and compassion of our chapter. Current Assistance League members continue the founding members' vision: offering hope, encouraging dignity and enhancing self-worth to all individuals in an ethical, respectful manner.
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Our current headquarters are at 1057 Meta Drive. The building is affectionately referred to as Ruth Prall Center in memory of one of our past presidents who passed away several years ago after battling cancer. Most of our current programs and meetings are carried out at this location.