Help on Wheels ASSISTANCE LEAGUE OF PHOENIX THE STORY Operation School Bell has been making a difference to underserved children across the country for more than 100 years, and locally in the Valley for more than 30. What started as a group of volunteers who saw kids in need of school clothing has grown into a core program in all 122 Assistance League chapters across the nation. Here in the Valley, Assistance League of Phoenix serves the largest population of children in the country, thanks to its Operation School Bell program. Operation School Bell provides school clothing to low-income youth in the greater Phoenix area to help improve the lives of children and families. “Families really are struggling. Some of them have to decide, ‘Do I spend money on school clothes or utility bills?’” We hope to be able to alleviate that concern for families and take care of those needs,” said Aimee Runyon, CEO of Assistance League of Phoenix. “When Operation School Bell started, we served just the schools surrounding our office that could get to us,” Runyon said. “One of our biggest goals has been to expand Operation School Bell because the need is so great.” With both a physical Philanthropic Center and a Delivering Dreams Bus equipped with mobile dressing rooms, Assistance League of Phoenix is able to serve more than 8,500 schoolchildren a year. Ashley Ford | Assistant Publisher CHARITY SPOTLIGHT {giving back} 40 FRONTDOORS MEDIA | JULY 2019