Low Income, Poverty

Assistance League-Operation School Bell

by Aylin

Helping Children since 1965

Assistance League has been helping the local neighborhoods such as being a local thrift store for people to come in and shop. they have Amazing programs that support schools around the areas. They have been running since 1965 to help children and teenagers with new clothing for the start of the school year. Operation School Bell is one of the many programs that the Assistance League helps children all over the United States. They serve schools around the areas of Everett, Seattle, Redmond, Bellingham, and Vancouver area of our beautiful Pacific Northwest.

Self-esteem is one of the biggest insecurities for all children. Not having proper hygiene and clothing for every day they go to school. It gives anxiety and stress in not having the same things as other people. Insecurities like these determine how well a student can perform in class with the rest of their peers. A lot of these students come from families where they work paycheck to paycheck and don’t have extra money to go out shopping each Summer to rock for the new school year. That feeling of wearing a fresh pair of shoes and a nice outfit for the first day of school.

Operation School Bells’ Mission

Assistance League helps anyone despite background or status. By providing school clothes to over 99,139 children and teens, one child at a time for children to go to school feeling like they can conquer the world. Most of them receive clothing through a personal shopping experience in our building. Due to the pandemic, they are not doing the shopping experiences, instead, they created forms in Spanish and English where families of students can apply and pick sizes for their children. They also provide personalized bags of new clothing to preschool children through the Early Childhood Educational Assistance Program (ECEAP) program. Currently, they have long-standing agreements with school districts throughout the Pacific Northwest.

What comes in the bags?

  • Three pairs of jeans, pants, or leggings
  • one jacket
  • one sweatshirt
  • three shirts
  • Six pairs of underwear
  • Six pairs of socks
  • One personal hygiene kit
  • One pair of shoes (use the shoe template to measure your child’s feet)
  • One book of their choice

Watch this quick video and check out the firsthand experience of Operation School Bell

Teen Retail Program

Since Operation School Bell is for Preschool grades up until Middle school, what happens to the High schoolers? Good question, qualified high school students are invited to shop for appropriate school attire at Fred Meyer, thanks to their partnership with the Assitance League. High schools are scheduled over 16 nights in the fall, with between 50 and 75 students participating per night. Students may choose clothing and shoes up to $125 in total cost.

Clothes for Kids

You might ask yourself if there are other non-profits that would work alongside Operation School Bell. Well, there is, and you are in luck. Clothes for Kids is another organization and Clothes For Kids is still open and serving students by appointment. Any child who attends school in Snohomish County or the Northshore School District (Head Start/ECEAP through 12th grade) and requests help, qualifies for Clothes For Kids. Each student can shop at Clothes For Kids twice per school year – once in the fall semester (August-December.) Once in the spring semester (January through May)

Sources Used

Assistance League Sites. Go to Assistance League Sites. (n.d.). Retrieved October 24, 2021, from https://www.assistanceleague.org/everett/operation-school-bell/. 

Home. Clothes For Kids. (2021, July 19). Retrieved October 24, 2021, from https://clothesforkids.org/. 

Contact Information

operationschoolbell@gmail.com II office@clothesforkids.org
425-252-8671 II 425-741-6500