Assistance League of Diablo Valley Celebrates Operation School Bell Clothing 50,000 Children

Above, California Assembly Member Susan Bonilla(l) presents Certificate of Achievement to Assistance League® of Diablo Valley President Veronica Gant (r) in celebration of Operation School Bell® providing clothing for 50,000 local elementary schoolchildren.

On Saturday, April 23, a sizeable group of well-wishers gathered at Assistance League Way Side Inn Thrift Shop, located at 3521 Golden Gate Way in Lafayette. Since 1994, this unassuming landmark has generated funds that ultimately finance Operation School Bell, a nationally acclaimed philanthropic program. At 11 AM, generous donors, discerning shoppers, elementary school staff, school board officers, civic leaders and dedicated member volunteers paid tribute to an accomplishment that may not yet be fully realized.

While Operation School Bell’s success is a result of extensive planning, flexibility and ongoing needs assessment, its premise is quite simple: If children do not have appropriate clothing, their school attendance suffers. Likewise, campus citizenship and overall emotional and academic growth lag. All in attendance saw those concerns edge closer to solution. Thank you! All of you have empowered our most valued asset, our children.

To learn more about Assistance League of Diablo Valley’s ten philanthropic programs that its thrift shop funds, please visit this website: diablovalley.assistanceleague.org.