Assistance League of the Chesapeake, Inc.

Our goals are to expand this program to reach more children in the Title l schools in our county and to improve the learning experience of children, to make school a rewarding part of their lives that they will want to continue.

By providing the uniforms that schools require, the Kids in Need Program makes it possible for children in need to attend school regularly and without stigma. With uniforms, they can enter the school proudly and participate freely.

Before our program began in 2003, there were siblings who took turns wearing the one school uniform the family could afford, alternating the days that each child attended school. Children with their own uniforms are able to attend class every day, clearly making their educational experience far more valuable.

By focusing on reading as a pleasurable activity and an important skill, the Project Literacy program opens up the wider world to disadvantaged children, encouraging them to prepare themselves to take their place in it.

Strategic Priorities:

• To promote and implement approved philanthropic programs in our community.

• To strengthen and increase membership

• To increase community awareness and support of Assistance League

• To maintain a strategic and operational plan for the chapter

• To ensure fiscal strength of the chapter


Paths to Success

Goal 1: Promote and implement approved philanthropic programs in our community.
• To provide goods and services to children in need.
• To assist seniors and other adults in need.

Goal 2: To strengthen and increase membership
• Retain 90% of active members each year to ensure a strong and vibrant chapter
• Increase total number of new members each year
• Promote a greater understanding and awareness of the chapter’s activities

Goal 3: To increase community awareness and support of Assistance League
• Promote a greater understanding and awareness of the chapter in the community.
• Encourage community volunteers to support chapter activities and projects.
• Establish Advisory Council.

Goal 4: To maintain a strategic and operational plan for the chapter
• Provide planning and policy recommendations to ensure chapter growth and effectiveness.
• Maintain an effective organizational structure
• Research free space to be used as an office and/or storage facility.
• Reduce Chapter’s exposure to risk
• Maintain chapter files on line so they are readily available to members.
• Implement measurement outcomes for additional programs.

Goal 5: To ensure the fiscal strength of the chapter
• Ensure financial accountability of the chapter
• Ensure financial stability
• Develop funding to support the chapter
• Maintain or achieve higher rating through Guide Star
• Review and update Insurance Coverage.

We have in excess of 70 unpaid volunteers who's sole purpose in joining Assistance League, is to provide hands on support for the above goals and strategies. Our programs are like well oiled machines where each one has a chairperson responsible and a team of volunteers who have specific tasks to achieve the goals in different areas.

In order to increase membership and support, we have established and increased our presence on social media. This has given us a broader reach into the community and more name recognition. In addition we have a community Marketing committee who's sole purpose is to increase recognition of our name and our function in the community.

We have a Grants Committee who work strictly on locating and applying for grants for our programs. We are becoming more and more successful in obtaining grant money in addition to initiating other fund raising opportunities.

We have a great relationship with the Board of Education representative and with the guidance counselors and principles of the schools we serve, and are able to identify the specific areas of need.

As of January 2019
We have increased membership and resources. All of our programs have grown each year.
We now serve 7 schools in the county,
Kids In Need School Uniforms

Schools Receiving Uniforms: Georgetown East, Tyler Heights, Van Bokkelen, Mills Parole, Germantown, Meade Heights and MacArthur Middle School.

2017-18 School Year: 2,506 uniforms to 1,829 students
57 volunteers to inventory, unpack, and organize warehouse; measure students, pack up uniforms. Volunteer hours: 508 (3 Old Navy employees hours included)
(Uniform consists of a navy blue polo shirt, khaki pants, navy blue sweatshirt, underwear and socks)

Fall 2018 school year:
1,597 uniforms to 975 students
1,200 uniforms are planned for our January 2019 distribution.

Toiletries: 2017-18 approximately 1,800 students received toiletries. Fall 2018 approximately 1,000 students received toiletries. Toiletry items include a toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, shampoo and conditioner and are donated by our volunteer members. Community dentists donate the majority of the toothbrushes and toothpaste. Toiletry packets are provided with each uniform package distributed.

Hats & Gloves:
With our January uniform distribution we will provide 797 hats and gloves to students. (We received a $500 grant from Constellation to assist with this program – 597 came from this grant.)


Project Literacy:

Books (2017-18 school year)
2017-18 1,281 books distributed to Georgetown East, Meade Heights and Van Bokkelen Elementary Schools. 7 Volunteers, 205 volunteer hours.
Books are distributed at the end of the school year to all students in attendance with an extra book given to the graduating 5th graders at Georgetown East and Meade Heights to commemorate their accomplishment.

Guest Reader – Volunteers read to classes each month at Georgetown East and Meade Heights Elementary Schools.
2017-18: 18 Volunteers for Georgetown East and Meade Heights. 145 volunteer hours.
2018-19: Our program is up and running at Georgetown East with guest reader, classroom and media center assistance. Our volunteers assist teachers to improve reading and writing skills for grades K - 2. One of our volunteers works with ESOL students. Meade Heights cancelled the guest reader program for this school year. 2-3 volunteers, volunteer hours unknown at this time.

Pen Pals – Volunteers assist Georgetown East students (5th grade) to write letters to students attending a Title I school in Virginia.
2017-18 School Year: 5 Volunteers, volunteer hours: 40
2018-19 School Year: 5 Volunteers, volunteer hours to date: 10 approximate.

Chessie – Volunteers work 1- 2 times per week at Meade Heights Elementary School working with students to improve reading comprehension.
2017-18: 7 Volunteers, volunteer hours: 438
2018-19: 9 Volunteers, volunteer hou