Assistance League Southwest Washington

Assistance League Southwest Washington has four goals: membership growth, increased funding, increased community visibility and improved philanthropic programs. But the first three goals have the overall purpose of strengthening and deepening our philanthropic programs so that essential needs are met in our community and families flourish.

Goal 1: Membership Growth - a) Recruit new members b) Membership/info table at all events; c) Social member/guest events such as Each One Reach One, Bunco, Summer Social and Bingo; and d) Identify two members for speaking engagements. Goal 2: Increase Fundraising - 1) develop community donors and sponsors; and 2) grant writing. Goal 3: Increase Community Awareness - a) Elevator speech; b) newspapers; c) Facebook; d) Website; Instagram; and e) GuideStar. Goal 4: Improve Philanthropic Programs - a) Bi-annual analysis; b) Increase services to community; and c) educate members and involve them in our programs. As an all-volunteer organization, everything we accomplish is done through our members and through effective community partnerships.

Our successes over the past decade attest to our capabilities. First, our status as an all-volunteer organization means that all the funds we raise locally are spent on our programs. Second, we are part of a national organization that ensures our financial stability, accountability and the sustainability of our programs. Third. our members are competent and well educated, bringing high-level skills along with their passion for transforming the lives of children. And fourth, we have formed fruitful partnerships with school districts, state services and other local nonprofits to increase impact and eliminate duplication of efforts.

In the past two years, we have increased the number of schools we serve from 18 to 25, increasing by half the number of children served. We have added a new program for teens in foster care, giving well over one hundred the chance to shop for new school clothes--a real boon for many of them who have never in their lives owned new garments. We have also expanded our services to those in foster care, providing a sturdy wheeled duffle bag to each young person who ages out of the system. We have added enrichment programs for the very young, most notably a garden in the natural playground area of a partner agency providing early learning to children with special needs and families with economic challenges. With our help, the children grow, tend, harvest and eat vegetables as they learn about how things grow and about healthy eating. Other additions and improvements to our programs will come as we continue our evaluation process. To fund all these programs, we have increased the proceeds from our fundraisers through donations, sponsorships and better marketing. Those efforts all continue.