Operation School Bell: need for school uniforms

OPERATION SCHOOL BELL®

Operation School Bell® , our signature program began in 1998 and has experienced continuous growth. We currently have agreements with 50 elementary and parochial schools in the Greater Cincinnati area to which we provide new clothing and hygiene supplies for students in grades K to 6 who are eligible for free or reduced lunch. We also provide hygiene items to one school that serves students in grades 7 through 12. Each partner school files a request and then receives pants, shirts, underwear, socks, fleece jackets, and belts which are distributed to both boys and girls. The schools also receive toothpaste and toothbrushes, boys’ deodorant, girls’ deodorant, and packages of feminine pads which are distributed to those children in need. During 2022-2023 we served 13,858 students, an increase of over 5,000 over the prior school year. We have served over 74,940 students since the program's inception.

ALCares4Kids

ALCares4Kids was renamed in 2022 from the original program of Kinship Foster Care to allow us to expand help to homeless children. It started in 2017 as a partnership with The Cincinnati Children’s Hospital CHECK Foster Care Center. The CHECK program provides screening, physical evaluations and clinical care for children living in foster and kinship care in Hamilton County. Since then, Jack’s Closet in Anderson, Ohio, Monkey Beans in Sardinia, Ohio. The Vinedresser in Florence, Ky. and Tabitha’s Closet in Morrow, Ohio who provide recycled clothing to foster and kinship care families have been added as partners of ALGC. Tabitha’s Closet also provides clothing to homeless children. We provide packages of new undergarments, socks, diapers, baby wipes and hygiene items monthly to each partner, depending on their need. ALGC provided 11,340 packages of clothing to 4,390 children last year, an increase of 100% over the prior year. Since its inception 9,621 children have benefited from these distributions.

College Starter Kits

College Starter Kits This past year, Assistance League prepared and distributed a collection of study supplies to two local colleges for 419 adults who enrolled to further their education through the colleges’ mentoring programs. The kits were provided to student development directors of Cincinnati State and Technical College and the University of Cincinnati for distribution. Cincinnati State and Technical College’s “CState Accelerate” program helps students graduate with an associate degree within three years and successfully transfer to a four-year college or enter the workforce. University of Cincinnati’s ”Gen-1/1MPACT House” assists students who are first generation in their family to attend college.

The College Starter Kit program started in 2005 and 4,293 adults pursuing post-secondary education have benefitted.

New Beginnings

New Beginnings provides 2 levels of service, a Welcome Kit for new arrivals and Household Kits for families moving on to a new home. The Welcome Kits provide clean clothing for women arriving at a Women’s Crisis center. Upon arrival the women and children seeking protection receive a Welcome Kit containing an adult T-shirt, socks, hygiene kits, underwear and flip flops packaged in reusable drawstring bags. Underwear and socks are also provided to the children. These items are purchased, packaged, and delivered to shelters in Hamilton, Warren, Clermont, and Butler Counties in Ohio, and Kenton County in Kentucky. This year 310 adult domestic violence survivors received these kits. When the stay at the crisis center ends, women and children wishing to start a new life away from the abuser are assisted in finding a new home. At that time ALGC provides newly purchased items in Household or Children kits to them. The 47-item kit includes cleaning products and tools, bed and bath linens and complete kitchen sets for the family. Additional kits of bedding and hygiene items are provided for babies, toddlers, and older children. In the past year, 474 kits were distributed to these families, including 262 for children. Since its inception 25 years ago 11,579 adults and 2.094 children have benefited from this program. There was a 100% increase in the number served over the prior year.

Assault Survivor Kits

Assault Survivor Kits® Started in 1998, this program provides a new pair of sweatpants, a sweatshirt, a tee shirt, socks, underwear, and hygiene supplies packed in a reusable drawstring bag. These kits, fleece jackets and bras are delivered to three organizations: the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (S.A.N.E.), The ION Center for Violence Prevention and the Tri-Health Care’s Program. These organizations distribute the kits, jackets, and bras to the 27 hospitals in the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky area where victims of assault and/or rape are being treated. Assistance League packaged and delivered 417 kits this past year, raising our deliveries to-date to 7,258.

WILLIAM R. DALLY FOUNDATION