Assistance League of Whittier

Kids on the Block, Inc is a traveling puppet troupe made of Assistance League of Whittier volunteers which uses live theatre to educate school children about social issues as: disabilities, bullying, healthy eating, drugs and alcohol and many other issues.

Operating Summer Reading is a program of the Whittier City Library that encourages children to embrace reading during the summer months. The Chapter provides volunteer and financial support to the events associated with this effort.

In December we partner with Salvation Army personnel who provide us with names of families who need help. Each family provides a list of items they would like for Christmas. ALW members then shop for holiday gifts plus a grocery gift card ensure food for their Christmas dinner.

This program provides clothing for elementary and junior high schoolchildren in need attending local area schools. Assistance League provides vouchers of a specified amount of money per child to local schools to be distributed. The schools screen the families to determine eligibility and provide them with the vouchers for the children to use on specific dates at one of two local Target stores who have agreed to participate in the program. Assistance League volunteers are always on hand to help the families during the shopping experience. Some of the children will be wearing all new clothes for the very first time. There were 595 students from four local school districts who participated in the 2019-2020 school year.

Operation School Bell also provides underwear for "accidents" in all four school districts. An additional part of the Operation School Bell Program

The nationwide Operation School Bell® program has clothed more than 300,000 school children each year. . Our Whittier Chapter has been participating since 1999.

This committee also provides bottles of Bayer/Rid Lice shampoo to 4 school districts for the school nurses to distribute to the schools as needed.

Started in 1981, Assistance League provides grants for single-parent/head of household students in need at Rio Hondo College and Whittier College. All are continuing full-time students who reside in the greater Whittierarea and have a G.P.A. of at least 2.5.

The program aims to assist students to provide a better life for themselves and their families by earning a degree or training for a vocation. Forms are available in the Financial Aid offices of the schools. The applicants are screened and selected by Continuing Education committee members.

Started in 1987, Assistance League members also perform in the educational puppet show called "To Tell the Tooth." It is given to all second graders in the local school districts. Using animal puppets, they learn about good dental hygiene and preventative care. Local dentist Dr. John Sudick provides the children with a new toothbrush and the Assistance League furnishes toothpaste and dental floss. This has been a very successful program for local children. The show was presented to 27 schools in 4 school districts, encompassing approximately 2100 students during the school year.

Wee Wardrobe provides layettes for newborn infants at PIH Health Hospital-Whittier to be distributed to mother without basics for their newborn or for babies going into foster care