Assistance League of Huntington Beach

Operation school bell began in 1975. We've expanded the support for underprivileged children in need including homeless children in grades tk through 12, referred from local schools, with what we believe to be the 5 pillars of support: clothing, food, hygiene, literacy, and school supplies. Providing the opportunity for students to shop for these items increases self-esteem, school attendance and assists their family's ability to blend within their local communities. During the fiscal year 2023-2024, we served 2,084 students at 63 events at participating target and jc penney's stores. In addition we worked with the five school districts to fulfill more of their special needs for the students & their families. Since the program began, we have helped over 55,000 students and more families.

Support our seniors, started in 2003, addresses the needs of lower income, homebound or at risk older adults to enhance their quality of life and promote a more successful aging process. Coordination is done between our auxiliary dreamcatcher's program members and care managers at the senior center of Huntington Beach. Over 550 recipients were aided in fiscal year 2023-2024 with 590 grocery cards, 25 access bus passes, as well as an assortment of other essential needs identified by the care managers. In addition 100 seasonal gift bags were distributed twice a year containing essential items, some fun items, and cards made by our members with encouraging notes for the seniors.

Operation new beginnings (onb) includes two outreach programs. Providing clothing and other essentials from our thrift store plus gift cards to adults and children referred from community partner organizations. The 2023-2024 program served 296 clients. Additionally, we provided 11,600 in grocery cards to partner agencies, potentially helping 250 additional families. Onb also helps veterans to meet educational needs and goals through scholarships and support to local veteran resource centers. Project self sufficiency scholarships are provided to single parents to assist with costs of schooling while working to pay bills. In fiscal year 2023-2024 a total of 31 scholarships @ 125,000 were awarded and veterans resource centers were supported by chapter & dreamcatchers with 10,366 spent.

All other service and programs offered 2023-2024 scholarships - part of our philanthropy is to provide our local community the tools to achieve, among other things, greater economic independence. This year we awarded 93 scholarships totaling 124,000 and ranging from 2000 up to 5000 to nursing students already attending our local community college and recent high school graduates beginning that path to help them pursue higher education and job training. All recipients were selected based on need and had to meet strict academic criteria. Scholar's hope - scholarships are awarded to qualified high school graduates within the oakview community for the first 2 years of college. The program contributes to enrichment programs including steam, team building, financial literacy, social/emotional skills, improvement in study skills, and prep classes for sat. 11 scholarships totaling 37,000 were awarded. Links to learning - began in 2008 to provide awards and support to our local elementary and middle schools to help fund enrichment programs. This fiscal year, teachers could qualify for between 200 up to 1000 depending on scope and number of students impacted, with the average around 500.00 per award. The awards are to purchase items such as books, interactive technologies, and enrichment programs which enhance the learning experience for their students. In 2023-2024, 148 grants were distributed to 191 teachers. Some grants included multiple teachers. We expanded the program to include a new beginning teacher award of 200 to help them set up their first classroom, and awarded 13 of these grants. Operation bear hug - in collaboration with local hospitals and emergency centers, we distributed 1,459 teddy bears to provide comfort in times of personal trauma. Operation share - excess items that have been donated to the thrift store are given to other 501(c)(3) organizations in the community. Silver anchor - our dreamcatchers auxiliary supports approximately 50 mentally impaired men and women in the partial out-patient program associated with Huntington Beach hospital with gift cards and hygiene items. Alzheimer's family service center - the adult day care center provides dreamcatchers with wish lists to support memory therapy and medical well- being, including this year showering services. Therapeutic riding center program - the dreamcatchers auxiliary provides scholarships to the therapeutic riding center for children and adults with disabilities who are in need of financial Assistance. The assisteens auxiliary helps pss low income single parents give their children a birthday celebration they otherwise might not have, creating 90 "birthday in an envelope" packages. They assisted with a christmas party for 86 project self sufficiency parents and their children.