The Assistance League of Salem-Keizer is an all-volunteer nonprofit organization, providing students throughout the area with school supplies, clothes, backpacks and more. From June 2019 to May 2020, members of the organization volunteered 40,479 hours and provided $455,238 worth in services.
Liza Rodriguez McNicholas, the Community School Outreach Coordinator, has worked with the organization for the past eight years. She shared with the Clypian that they help thousands of students in need through a variety of ways each year. Per Salem-Keizer School District, approximately 70% of their 40,438 students are considered “economically disadvantaged.”
Priority [in services] is given to Salem-Keizer students without a home or in transition, to achieve academic success.
Rodriguez McNicolas
Additionally, students enrolled in the federal McKinney-Vento Program and students referred by the Salem-Keizer School District 24J designated school Youth Advocates are given priority. These standards ensure that children with the highest need will be first in line to materials and programs that will help them.
Some of the most common materials that the Assistance League provides to students are clothing, shoes, and hygiene packs.
One of their largest and oldest programs is Operation School Bell, which has been around since 1962. Through this program elementary students are provided with a bag of clothes with everything from socks and underwear to a winter coat. Middle school and high school students receive a voucher to pick out items they personally choose at one of the League’s participating stores: Kohl’s, Target or Walmart. Each year this program provides approximately 3000 students with new clothes.
Because of Covid-19 restrictions, the process of distribution was a little different this year. With protocols in place, the Assistance League and schools still managed to provide help to their students in need, while abiding by all Covid-19 restrictions.
“There are limited store hours and days that I am able to pick up student items… [as well as] longer mail delivery wait times,” Rodriguez McNicholas shared of changes to the program.
Additionally, all members of the Assistance League and school administrators “adhered to mask and social distancing requirements.” For the families and students picking up their supplies, contact tracing was required prior to arriving at the building. Through a team effort of Rodriguez McNicholas, the volunteers of the Assistance League and the families, the students were still able to have the supplies they needed, without putting people at risk.
The Assistance League of Salem-Keizer Auxiliary is a branch of the organization that focuses on providing school supplies to children in K-12, enrolled at Title I schools. Auxiliary Operation Backpack gives backpacks and school supplies to 64 schools throughout the school year and around 2,750 students. Mary Gene Atwood, who’s been a member of the Auxiliary since 2000, shared that the Auxiliary mainly focuses on schools that are Title I, which the volunteers deliver directly to.
During Covid-19 restrictions, the operation worked with fewer volunteers over a longer period of time. Usually, the school gym would be used for schools to pick up their supplies, but due to Covid-19 the gyms were closed. Instead, the Auxiliary partnered with Red Steer Glove Co., to use an empty warehouse to distribute supplies.
Salem Creekside Rotary helped resupply school supplies and Mr. Hughes at 24J coordinated the deliveries through all the Covid-19 restrictions, so that the program could continue. This program was especially important during Comprehensive Distance Learning because many students did not have access to school supplies at home.
In years prior to COVID-19, the Assistance League helped provide dental screenings to approximately 10,000 kids in Salem-Keizer each year. Volunteers from the League have worked with Salem Public Library’s bookmobile, which serves all 1st grade classrooms. The Assistance League also helps bring performing art programs to Title 1 schools, through informative puppet shows, musicians, and other performances.
From clothing vouchers to let students pick their own shoes and clothes, to school supplies and backpacks, the League and Auxiliary program provides a huge assistance to South Salem High School, and all students in Salem-Keizer. In honor of their work, they were Salem-Keizer School District’s Community Partner of the Month for October of 2020.
We are grateful for the Assistance League of Salem-Keizer’s hard work and their dedication to helping students. We want to thank them for their partnership and look forward to many more years of working together!
Salem-Keizer School District shared on social media after recognizing the Assistance League
To read more about the organization or to support their work you can visit their website.
