Assistance League of Norman, Inc.

The goal of Assistance League Norman's Operation School Bell program is to provide appropriate school clothing to those children in need referred to us by their teachers and counselors. Assistance League members have no input as to the children we serve.

We clothe children grades kindergarten through twelfth grade attending Norman and Little Axe Oklahoma Public Schools. Assistance League of Norman has been clothing children since 1978. During the 2019-2020 school year, we clothed 1841 children. Despite the chaos of COVID, we clothed 909 children during school year 2020-2021.

Anecdotal and outcome survey evidence reported to us by teachers and counselors confirms the positive impact of our program. Children who participate in Operation School Bell arrive at school ready to learn. They exhibit regular attendance, increased self confidence and improved classroom performance.

Our organizational strategic plan includes our goal of increasing the number of students we serve. We will continue to provide first quality clothing that allows our clients to fit in with their peers.

We feel we are successful when we meet the needs of all the students referred to us.

In order to sustain our Operation School Bell program, we apply for grants, seek donations from members and community partners and raise money to purchase clothing through a variety of well established and well attended fundraising activities. We are also fortunate to have an endowment specifically for Operation School Bell.

Our current fundraising events include a home tour, a Gala, a 5K Operation School Bell run and a variety of micro- fundraisers. . Please refer to our website: www.assistanceleague.org/norman for additional information concerning our fundraising activities or you may visit our profile at givesmartokc.org.

We have a cadre of successful shoppers who shop locally and online year round for sales on merchandise that is timely and in line with what all students are wearing to class. We approach this buying cautiously purchasing only those items which are of good value.

Our students choose their clothing in a retail like environment at our Chapter House. Each child is accompanied by an Assistance League member or community volunteer who acts as a personal shopper helping the child with sizing and choices. We provide private dressing rooms to ensure a dignified experience for our student clients.

Each year we examine School Bell and improve any areas that need tweaking.

Although we officially clothe children several months in the fall and two weeks in the spring, we are available as needed to clothe those children in need outside our regular calendar clothing dates. Our Operation School Bell volunteers work year round to make this program the premier operation it is.

We have many community partners that support Operation School Bell by direct donation as well as by sponsoring different aspects of our fundraising activities. We have a generous endowment from the Sarkeys Foundation which provides long term support for our Operation School Bell efforts.

Assistance League of Norman is an all volunteer organization with more than 300 members. All members have financial obligations to the organization in the form of dues and expected contributions. We have no paid staff.

Our work in the community is well known and well respected.

We feel that after forty nine years of clothing children, we have learned how to make the Operation School Bell program a success. In 1978, we clothed 70 children; during the last ten years, we clothed 16,263 children! Our long term goal is to increase our outreach to those students in need. To this end, we remain committed to a fiscally sound policy of purchasing clothes that are peer appropriate and of sound value.

Over the years we have discovered that quality clothing trumps quantity; the clothing offered the children must be the same type clothing they would find in a branded shopping experience and the clothing must be easy care and durable. Our purchasing experiences have been refined and we are consistent with regard to quality control. A product purchased that does not meet our high standards is returned.

Maintaining the dignity of our students is a primary goal of Operation School Bell.