Portland, April 9th, 2016. Assistance League® of Greater Portland hosted its annual fundraising gala at the Multnomah Athletic Club. The event, “School Daze!” featured guests dressed in vintage school attire, decorations reminiscent of high school, live and silent auctions and entertainment by musical duo Clint & Ila.
Organizers raised Over $99,000 to support Assistance League and its local community service programs for children and victims of violence. Sue Eiler, Vice President Fundraising, expressed gratitude to the donors and volunteers, “Our deepest thanks to all whose contributions enable us to continue to provide the financial and moral support needed to continue our philanthropic programs. Without your support, we would not be able to lend a helping hand to those in need.” (Photo credit, Bridge City Photo Lounge)
Assistance League member volunteers Robbie O’Brien and Kay Gebhart show spirit in vintage school clothing.
Jennifer Marshall-Painter accepts the national Operation School Bell® Award presented to Fred Meyer by Allison Mudrick, Assistance League’s Chairman of Operation School Bell.
Assistance League presented Fred Meyer Stores with the Operation School Bell Award, a national honor. Fred Meyer supports Assistance League to meet the clothing needs of qualified teenagers from low-income families through shopping excursions with funds raised by the nonprofit Assistance League. Operation School Bell provides clothing for schoolchildren from kindergarten through high school and in Head Start programs. Younger children receive brand new clothing distributed through Assistance League’s local clothing center. During the 2015-16 school year, Assistance League of Greater Portland clothed 3,417 children in need in the Beaverton, Hillsboro and Portland Public School Districts.
Speaking at the event were Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, Nicole Broder, who expressed the humiliation felt by rape victims who, without Assistance League, would be given paper scrubs to wear home after they forfeit clothing as forensic evidence in the emergency room. Instead, Assistance League’s Assault Survivor Kits® provide new outfits and toiletries for these survivors. “What these kits are, it’s not just giving them clothes, it’s a step toward giving them their dignity back.”
Addressing the impact of another Assistance League program was Georgia L. Remmel, M.ED. As a school counselor, she refers students in need of new clothes to the Operation School Bell® program. She recalled commenting to a second grader on a winter day, that with his new clothes and coat, he would be warm outside at recess. He replied that the jacket kept him warm at home too, because he wore it to bed on cold nights.
Assistance League of Greater Portland is a local chapter of a national organization that has provided philanthropic programs in Greater Portland since 1965. Assistance League’s member volunteers provide four community service programs. The programs serve children and victims of violence by providing new school clothing, enrichment activities for troubled youth at a residential treatment facility, personal history books for foster children, and clothing for assault victims who forfeit their clothing in the emergency room. In addition to grants, sponsorships and donations, funds are raised at Assistance League Thrift and Consignment Shops at 4000 SW 117th Avenue in Beaverton.
As a member of Assistance League of Greater Portland, we are grateful to our friends and members for the support provided to our School Daze event. We can not do what we do without you, thank you.