School Shopping at Camp Pendleton

Any Facebook fan will tell you that they receive countless notifications alerting them to “support our troops.” The notifications are usually in the form of an image replete with flags and fireworks and praise for our military. As important and gratifying as this type of acknowledgement may be, many of our enlisted military personnel need a more tanglible response to their commitment to serve us.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, which administers the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP; formerly known as food stamps), $67 million was spent at military commissaries in 2016. The largest share was spent in California.

Lower-ranking enlisted members of the military with children often have difficulty making ends meet. Since 2005, Assistance League® of Rancho San Dieguito (ALRSD) has been providing children of enlisted military families at Camp Pendleton with a unique shopping experience as they start a new school year. Along with several Southern California chapters of National Assistance League, ALRSD provides new school clothes and supplies to children at Camp Pendleton.

Operation School Bell® (OSB) is Assistance League’s signature philanthropic program. Last year, 677 children of military families were provided new jeans, shirts, underwear, socks, toiletries, sweatshirts, shoe vouchers, a backpack and even a ready-to-love stuffed animal during their school shopping event. Operation School Bell will return to Camp Pendleton this year on August 5th and August 6th. Large event tents will be set up and Assistance League chapter volunteers will be on-hand to guide the children and their parents through the maze of delightful choices.

We encourage the public to join us in our efforts to alleviate some of the financial difficulties facing our military families. Assistance League of Rancho San Dieguito is an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization. Monies to offer programs like Operation School Bell are provided by surplus funds generated by sales at our Thrift Shop in Encinitas, through grants from corporations and local government agencies, an annual fundraiser, membership and individual donors. You may learn more about us by visiting our Thrift Shop, 1542 Encinitas Blvd, our website www.alrsd.org. or on Facebook: Assistance League of Rancho San Dieguito, Thrift Shop. In addition, you may contact us at 760-634-1091 or alrsd@yahoo.org.