Good News from

Assistance League of St. Louis

A progress report of community support

Assistance League Volunteers Hit the Ground Running

in 2024 Creating Positive Experiences in

the Lives of Children and Families in our Community

Our Steps to Success program has delivered more than 5,200 pairs of shoes to children in multiple school districts this year. This spring, an additional shipment of shoes supplemented the large fall shipment. Volunteers were able to supply schools with shoes for new students and those who had outgrown shoes they received in the fall.

Many children can now join athletic teams and run and play without discomfort from shoes that are too small.

During a recent meeting, the St. Louis Public Schools superintendent requested that each school principal identify something they celebrate. To our delight, Principal Yvette Levy of Wilkinson Early Childhood Center, as well as many other principals, mentioned Assistance League as an organization they celebrate!

Congratulations to all our Steps to Success volunteers on a job well done!

Our Books From Friends Volunteers Reach into the

Heart of our Community Sparking a Love of Books

and Reading in Children

Budding novelists and future storytellers in Pre-K through 2nd grade at

Bermuda Early Childhood Center were immersed in the delights of our Books from Friends book festival. Bermuda Early Childhood Center, where our first Books from Friends book festival debuted, gives students Pre-K through 2nd grade a head start to academic success through its innovative programs.

A parade of book characters, with headliners Pete the Cat and Clifford the Big Red Dog, sparked the students' imaginations and brought the stories to life. Pre-K and Kindergartners also enjoyed puppet shows and a storybook reading. Where else can a child have someone dressed as a pepperoni pizza slice read them a book?

At the end of the festivities, each child received 2 books and a book bag. In total, 506 books were distributed to 253 children.

One child exclaimed joyfully, "You mean I can keep these books? I don't have to give them back after I read them?"

Congratulations to our volunteers, and thank you to all the staff at Bermuda Early Childhood Center who contributed their time and talents.

Assistance League and National Council of Jewish Women Earn Collaborative Grant

Since 2018, Assistance League of St. Louis and the National Council of Jewish Women St. Louis (NCJW) have partnered to provide the children we serve year-round access to school clothing, shoes, coats and hygiene products.

These items are available in our 28 closets located in the St. Louis Public Schools, 12 of which we share with NCJW.

The school closets are an integral part of our Operation School Bell program.

Assistance League of St. Louis President, Denise McKibben (center) with NCJW members, stock Shaw Elementary School closet.

This year, with the encouragement of the Executive Director of the Dana Brown Charitable Trust, Assistance League and NCJW submitted a collaborative grant to the foundation. Both agencies' missions, operations and accomplishments were reflected in the final grant.

The grant was approved and each agency received $20,000 to stock the closets!

Congratulations Assistance League of St. Louis and NCJW!

April Showers Bring Assistance League the Coveted Girl Scout Gold Trefoil Award

Assistance League of St. Louis is honored to be the recipient of the Gold Trefoil Award from the Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri.

This award, a wonderful surprise, is given to an individual or organization who has made a superior contribution to Girl Scouts with a council-wide impact.

Our dedicated volunteers earned this award by supporting a Girl Scout in earning her Gold Award and opening our doors for the neighborhood leaders' council to meet monthly.

ALSTL President Denise McKibben accepts award with Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri leaders

In addition, ALSTL has supported the April Showers collection of hygiene and cleaning products and has been the recipient of the items the Girl Scouts collected.

We Know How to Read the Room!

Our Authors Brunch Fundraiser Surpasses All Goals

(L to R) Assistance League President Denise McKibben, Event Co-Chair Jill Greulich, Author Martha Hall Kelly, President Elect Sandy Thal, Event Co-Chair Nancy Lynn

Over 370 guests attended our 19th annual Assistance League Authors Brunch, featuring New York Times bestselling author Martha Hall Kelly, to support Assistance League's five community programs. Guests enjoyed Martha Hall Kelly's keynote presentation, Celebrating Resilient Women, a delicious gourmet lunch and opportunities to win luxury experiences and baskets.

The experiences our volunteers and clients related were especially poignant. Janie Burse, the McKinney-Vento social worker in the Ferguson-Florissant School District, recounted stories of how Assistance League is building resilience in the homes of students and families in her district.

"It is hard to know where to begin to express the incredible impact this amazing organization has had on the students and families in our district. The Assistance League Outreach Program has become a vital resource in serving our families in need," she said.

As Assistance League President Denise McKibben thanked all the guests and sponsors who attended the event, she declared,

"Every year, I say I don't know how next year's event could be any better, but each year tops the last!"

Transforming Lives Strengthening Community

Assistance League of St. Louis is an all-volunteer organization that transforms the lives of children and adults through five community programs. alstl.org

Assistance League Volunteers Hit the Ground Running

in 2024 Creating Positive Experiences in

﻿the Lives of Children and Families in our Community

﻿Assistance League and National Council of Jewish Women Earn Collaborative Grant

April Showers Bring Assistance League the Coveted Girl Scout Gold Trefoil Award

﻿

﻿We Know How to Read the Room!

Our Authors Brunch Fundraiser Surpasses All Goals﻿

the Lives of Children and Families in our Community

Assistance League and National Council of Jewish Women Earn Collaborative Grant

We Know How to Read the Room!

Our Authors Brunch Fundraiser Surpasses All Goals