Operation School Bell: This is Assistance League of Klamath Basin’s primary philanthropic program.  Its purpose is to provide school supplies, new clothing, and literacy needs to K-12 children in need in 41 Klamath County and Klamath Falls City schools and other organizations including the Tulelake, California area (“Klamath Basin”).

How Operation School Bell Works:

Allotments: Each year, when the chapter is setting up its annual budget for the following year, a decision is made as to how many students the chapter can afford to clothe in the upcoming fiscal year and the amount needed for additional Operation School Bell expenditures. Allotments are set up by using the number of students enrolled in each school as well as the number of students that participated in previous years. Last year approximately 1,700 certificates were issued with $150 budgeted for each clothing certificate K-12.

In addition to the clothing certificates, in February Assistance League of Klamath Basin holds its “Share the Love Project” receiving donated items and monetary donations. Backpacks, socks, underwear, hoodies, heavy jackets, t-shirts, and hygiene items are purchased and given to the McKinney Vento Program coordinators to be distributed directly to these homeless students.

Elementary Schools – $150 Certificates: Operation School Bell is divided into two sections: (A) Instore Shopping Event, and (B) a Clothing Certificate Program. 

            (A) Instore Shopping Event:  This program is funded and coordinated by the Assistance League of Klamath Basin. It has an agreement with the Klamath Falls Fred Meyer store. Elementary students from nine Klamath Basin schools come to this store on designated dates and times. It is important that each student be accompanied by a parent/guardian responsible for helping students select clothing and shoes. Elementary schools designated to participate in this program are:  Ferguson – Henley – Peterson – Shasta – Stearns – Conger – Mills – Pelican – Roosevelt.

             (B) Clothing Certificate Program:  Clothing certificates, instructional packets and hygiene kits are sent to each designated Klamath Basin school K-12. The schools are responsible for deciding which students are to receive clothing certificates on an as-needed basis. When the school issues a certificate, the student is given 30 days to use it at the Fred Meyer store. This program starts in late September and usually ends mid-March. The following elementary schools are currently designated to receive clothing certificates:  Bonanza – Chiloquin – Gearhart – Gilchrist – Keno – Malin – Merrill – Tulelake.

Middle and High Schools – $150 Certificates: Clothing certificates and instructional packets are sent to each designated school’s contact/coordinator. That individual decides which students receive clothing certificates on an as-needed basis. When a certificate is issued, the student is given 30 days to use it at the Fred Meyer store. This program starts in late September and usually ends the end of March. 

All students K-12 participating in either the instore shopping events or the clothing certificate program receive hygiene kits, warm winter hats, and gloves.

Geographic areas:  Assistance League of Klamath Basin’s geographic areas served include 41 schools and organizations in Klamath Falls, Chiloquin, Gilchrist, Bonanza, Malin, Merrill in Oregon, and Tulelake in Northern California. While working closely with Klamath Basin social workers, school counselors, principals, teachers, and administrators, Assistance League Klamath Basin makes a difference in the lives of those children who are in need. Participating schools and organizations are:

• Bonanza Elementary, Jr/Sr High Schools
• Brixner Jr High
• Chiloquin Elementary, Jr/Sr High
• Conger Elementary
• Eagle Ridge Charter
• Falcon Heights Academy
• Ferguson Elementary
• Gearhart Elementary
• Gilchrist Elementary, Jr/Sr High
• Henley Elementary, Jr/Sr High
• Keno Elementary
• Klamath Basin Behavioral Health – K-6 & 7-12
• Klamath Falls Home Learning Center
• Klamath Falls Institute of Learning
• Klamath Union
• Lost River Jr/Sr High
• Mazama High
• McKinney-Vento – K-6 & 7-12
• Merrill Elementary
• Malin Elementary
• Mills Elementary
• Pelican Elementary
• Peterson Elementary
• Ponderosa Elementary
• Roosevelt Elementary
• Shasta Elementary
• Stearns Elementary
• Tulelake Elementary, Jr/Sr High

Assistance League of Klamath Basin is working with its school liaisons to add additional schools and organizations.

Graduation Clothing Certificate Program – $150 Certificates:  In April, an Operation School Bell coordinator contacts high school counselors requesting names of two to three students who are in need of financial assistance to purchase clothing for graduation. As part of the selection process, we request that these students have demonstrated an effort in being a good student and model citizen. This clothing can also be used when students are searching for a job.

Award Winning Books: Each year Operation School Bell provides the elementary schools with books that are awarded the Caldecott Award and Newbery Award. The middle and high schools receive books selected by the Young Readers’ Choice and Pacific Northwest Library Association. Several copies each book are given to the Klamath County Libraries as well as to Klamath Advocacy Center aka Marta’s House. In addition, these books are displayed at Assistance League of Klamath Basin’s Chapter House. Operation School Bell provides books for the Dolly Parton reading program.  

Citizens for Safe Schools:  Citizens For Safe Schools is a nonprofit organization with goals of creating safe and drug free communities and children of good character. School counselors refer students to Citizens For Safe Schools when it is determined they are at risk and need help. They are placed one-to-one with a responsible adult mentor. Approximately 50 students participate in this program who continue to attend K-12 schools throughout the Klamath Basin. Schools are notified of the names of these students to make sure they receive Operation School Bell certificates. 

McKinney Vento Homeless Student Program:  McKinney Vento Program is a federal program titled The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 1987 focusing on students experiencing homelessness and poverty. Through this Program, Assistance League of Klamath Basin has added approximately 450 K-12 homeless students to its Operation School Bell clothing certificate program. They are closely monitored by the McKinney Vento Program coordinators who in turn work closely with all city and county schools to make sure students receiving clothing certificates are not duplicated. 

Assistance League of Klamath Basin’s newest program titled “Children in Foster Care” entails working with local officials from Child Welfare, State Department of Human Services (DHS). Children in Foster Care is programmed to be active all year (June 1 to May 31) and is separate from Assistance League of Klamath Basin’s Operation School Bell program. It involves children from infancy to 18 years of age who have been removed from unsafe environments and placed into foster care.

Clothing certificates valued at $150 each are given to DHS to distribute to children on an as-needed-basis. Our chapter has supplied back packs, gym bags, hygiene items, socks, underwear, clothing, blankets, warm hats, stuffed toys, and school supplies throughout the year.

DHS has a team of people who works with foster parents and foster children delivering these items to the foster families. The staff at DHS has expressed its appreciation of Assistance League of Klamath Basin, which helps all these children in an expedient manner.

Assistance League of Klamath Basin started this program in 1993 and is the only Assistance League chapter conducting this project. It involves painting large USA maps on city and county elementary school playgrounds. These maps are used for educational purposes. Children love using them and play games finding specific states. 

Assistance League of Klamath Basin furnishes the map stencil, paint, brushes and rollers, and coordinates the program with the schools as well as helping recruit painters. It uses a special outdoor paint donated by local businesses. The stencil is approximately 38’ X 24’ and consists of two stencils, each weighing approximately 70 pounds.