Literacy Programs – Assistance League

Bend – Literacy Initiative

Veronika — Wed, 05 Jul 2023 16:19:21 +0000

Assistance League of Bend distributed 350 books to these grateful elementary school students in LaPine, Oregon. The students were able to select age appropriate books based on their grade level. The outreach was part of Assistance League of Bend’s Operation School Bell literacy initiative to help children improve their reading skills and encourage a lifelong habit. They have provided 1,535 books to under-served children in Deschutes County this fiscal year.

Northern Virginia – Literary Luncheon

Veronika — Mon, 12 Jun 2023 19:54:41 +0000

Our recent Literary Luncheon at the Springfield Golf & Country Club was a FABULOUS success! While checking in, guests were able to see samples of our major programs and view a short video showcasing our efforts. After a fine lunch, we presented the Operation School Bell Award to Gabriel Vargas, President of Quadrant, Inc., Reston, for Quadrant’s sustained support of our programs, particularly Weekend Food for Kids.

Next, our Vice President for Philanthropy provided a touching description of the impact of our programs on the children we serve and noted how important those services are to the students and their families. Then, Daniel Sanders, President & CEO of Four Sales, Ltd., used his considerable auctioneering skills to ensure that all of our fabulous Live Auction items were sold and to encourage attendees to give generously to support our cause. We are delighted with his success.

The highlight of the luncheon was the presentations by the two featured authors: Judith Pearson, author of Wolves at the Door: The True Story of America’s Greatest Female Spy; and Sean McFate, who writes both fiction and nonfiction, his latest book is High Treason. The authors each gave short recaps of their books. Then Peggy Fox, Media Relations Manager for Dominion Energy, discussed their books, and asked them questions in a ‘fireside chat’ scenario. Audience members also asked questions, and had been able to meet the authors, purchase their books and have them signed, before and after the luncheon.

We greatly appreciate our sponsors (Dominion Energy and NOVEC), the businesses that provided items for our auction (Lubin Portrait Studios, Midtown Jewelers in Herndon; Moss Building & Design, and Ritz-Carlton, Tysons; Fleming Steak House, and Capital One Theater) and our honorary co-chairs, Peggy Fox and Philip Assante, Membership Sales Manager at Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce. Their commitment to our chapter helped ensured that this fundraiser was successful. We are also deeply grateful to our members who worked tirelessly to ensure that every detail of this event was handled professionally and to the members who donated items for our Raffle Items.

Assistance League is very fortunate to have so many businesses that value and support our efforts, and we are blessed with dedicated, hard-working members. Small wonder that the Literary Luncheon was such a splendid affair.

ST. LOUIS – LOVE AND LITERACY

Veronika — Mon, 12 Jun 2023 19:36:02 +0000

ASSISTANCE LEAGUE OF ST. LOUIS

CELEBRATES TWO STORIES OF LOVE & LITERACY

February is the month we associate with valentines and love.

Assistance League of St. Louis also celebrates LITERACY in February.

Literacy and the love of reading have a year-round priority in all our programs.

The rose symbolizes love, and the ROSE (Raise Our Self-Esteem) program puts great love in all they do. ROSE assists women and children in secure shelters and women in transition to find respect in a safe, loving refuge. This holiday season, ROSE member volunteers partnered with local businesses, friends, and groups to provide toys, personal items and handmade stockings filled with surprises for the children. Eighty-seven pairs of warm pajamas and age-appropriate books were included as a special holiday gift for mothers and children to read together. Outreach provides special needs requests through ROSE and shares in all these generous gifts. Additionally, ROSE partners with St. Louis Community College to provide scholarships to women aspiring to improve their lives. Love and Literacy go hand and hand in ROSE.

Books from Friends, our literacy program, partnered with Barnes & Noble for its sixth and most successful Holiday Book Fair to date. Each year, a Book Fair starts the holiday season for ALSTL, and the two-month-long book drive continues to give customers a chance to provide books for our program. This year, 1020 books were donated, and a $3000 gift card was presented to ALSTL by Barnes & Noble, as a percentage of Book Fair sales. This will be used to provide and distribute books during the February and March ALSTL Book Festivals held in several school districts, and at the Urban League Head Start Festival. Books from Friends puts Love and Literacy into Action!

Northern Virginia – Literacy for Kids

Veronika — Wed, 29 Jun 2022 18:21:54 +0000

Assistance League of Northern Virginia is extremely grateful for the generous donation by Dr. Kamal Jajodia that allowed us to hold another book fair recently at a local elementary school. This Literacy for Kids event, which we call “Build-a-Child’s Library,” provided a wide selection of new books on a variety of topics from which the 600 students could choose a book that they liked.

We also were honored that Dr. Jajodia was able to join us at the event so she could see how happy the students were to receive a book they could take home and keep. During the book fair, Dr. Jajodia, a psychiatrist in McLean and also an internist, shared with our members that a book had changed the trajectory of her life. As a young girl, after reading a book about being a doctor, she set her sights on becoming a doctor herself. Dr. Jajodia and our members could see how delighted the students were to receive their new books. We hope that many students are inspired by their book selections to set some ambitious goals for themselves.

Southeastern Michigan – Book Drive

Veronika — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 15:19:29 +0000

The goal of Assistance League® of Southeastern Michigan’s annual Book Drive was twofold: to promote reading in the tri-county community and to make sure each child receives a new book – no matter what their age.

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Northern Virginia – Build a Child’s Library Book Fair

Veronika — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 17:43:31 +0000

Eight members of Northern Virginia’s Assistance League chapter participated in their third book fair of the year, part of a program called “Build a Child’s Library.” The event took place on May 20th at a local Title I elementary school in Fairfax County. Assistance League members planned and carried out a book giveaway in which children from grades pre-K through 6 were each allowed to select an age-appropriate title to call their own. Thanks to a generous financial contribution by Dr. Kamal Jajodia (kamaljajodiamd.com), a psychiatrist in McLean, the chapter was able to procure more than enough titles from Scholastic Books to allow every student who attended to select from a large collection of brand-new books, made available by grade and reading level, as well as a generous selection of bilingual (English/Spanish) books. After selecting their books, the students were invited to sign their names on the inside covers of the books under the words “This Book Belongs to”, and were given a specially designed bookmark for their future reading. The children really seemed to enjoy selecting their books, some having a hard time choosing from the excellent selection. They were delighted when they found out they didn’t have to return their new books but instead got to keep them forever and ever!

While the volunteers believe the rewards from working with children are intangible, it’s always such a joy when one of the students is so excited to find out they get to keep the book as their very own, that he or she reaches out with hugs. A couple of little girls even expressed their love and threw kisses as they left the library!

Northern Virginia – Build a Child’s Library

tempadmin — Tue, 12 Apr 2022 03:48:11 +0000

Nine members of Assistance League of Northern Virginia chapter recently helped nearly 550 students at a local elementary school select a brand-new book to take home and keep. For our second book fair of this school year, in a program called “Build a Child’s Library,” members worked with the Reading Specialist and other administrators at the school to ensure that an assortment of book titles provided would suit the students’ reading levels and interests. Books were purchased from Scholastic in sufficient quantities to ensure that every student would have a wide variety of suitable books from which to choose. After selecting their books, the students went to the signing tables where they wrote their names under the words “This Book Belongs to” and received a specially designed Bookmark. The seriousness they devoted to this effort showed how much they appreciated having a new book that was theirs forever.

The chapter members always derive great satisfaction and joy when helping students select the perfect book because they can see the smiles on the students’ faces when they find books on topics they like. This event was even more enjoyable because many students were not wearing masks, so their excitement was evident from their broad smiles. The students expressed their gratitude in many ways, including hugs for our volunteers. In addition, the school’s administrators provided lunch as a token of their gratitude.

Noone could say who had the most fun at this event – the students, the school staff, or the members. Perhaps that’s the best outcome anyone could imagine.

Chicagoland West – Assisteens deliver inaugural program for ACTION! Week

tempadmin — Tue, 12 Apr 2022 03:42:57 +0000

Assisteens^® of Chicagoland West organized their debut event with much enthusiasm. In honor of ACTION!Week, they shared Dr. Seuss’ time honored book The Lorax in three different ways: with a short re-enactment, a read aloud of the book, and a movie event at the Indian Prairie Library on Saturday, February 26. Kudos to the teens who conceived, developed and executed their first program as part of Assistance League Chicagoland West!

St. Louis – Books From Friends Program

tempadmin — Wed, 23 Mar 2022 01:50:55 +0000

In 2020-21, Books From Friends distributed over 15,000 new books to St. Louis school children and held multiple book parades for St. Louis elementary schools.

the Chesapeake Area – Receives Donation from Local Author

tempadmin — Wed, 23 Mar 2022 01:48:41 +0000

Kim Lee, a local author from Baltimore, donated books to Assistance League of the Chesapeake to support our Project Literacy program. Project Literacy supports area Title I schools with tutoring, classroom help and enrichment activities. Shown in the photo is Ms. Lee with her book, The Night Owl, at Georgetown East Elementary School, one of the schools that will be receiving it. Ms. Lee has written three other books that are targeted to second grade students.

Ms. Lee spoke to chapter members recently and said that she was inspired to write the book by her son. The story follows the Night Owl on his after-bedtime adventures to see how long he can escape sleep. Her other books are Meet Frankie Jordan, and Grand Joy.

Left to right are Georgetown East’s vice principal, Elsie Buberg; Kim Lee and her son Jourdon; Assistance League president, Elaine Atkinson; Assistance League vice president philanthropic, Cindy Culp; and community schools program manager, Tamara Walker.