Michele got our Mary O’Malley Backpack Friends program off the ground, and last year we provided over 2,200 weekend food items to children with food insecurities. Michele volunteers for many of our programs including Kids In Need program (where we provide school clothing to in-need children).

Michele says, “Until joining Assistance League of the Chesapeake, I had no idea of the magnitude of poverty in our community and in Anne Arundel County in general.” She is motivated by the fact that, “In some small way I am assisting so many children and new mothers in need either through the Showers of Love baby shower or Kids In Need.” 

This is a story about stories.

One year, Assistance League of the Chesapeake members gave every fifth grader at Georgetown East, Meade Heights and Van Bokkelen elementary schools a hardback copy of “Wonder” by R.J. Palacio.

The protagonist in this book is Auggie Pullman, who was born with a facial difference. Auggie wants to be treated as an ordinary child when he attends his first mainstream school in fifth grade. But his classmates can’t get past his extraordinary face. The themes of identity, acceptance and bullying resonate strongly with the fifth graders as they “wonder” what it would be like to be Auggie.

The students served by Assistance League of the Chesapeake have very few books at home. We all know that growing up in a house full of books is a major boost to literacy. So, in addition to the hardbacks given to fifth graders, we gave a paperback copy of a book to all the other students at Georgetown East, Meade Heights and Van Bokkelen elementary schools.

Titles included “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?” by Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle. This classic children’s book teaches pre-reading concepts of rhyme, rhythm and repetition. Another book was “Clementine” by Sara Pennypacker. In this book, Clementine helps out her friend Margaret, which turns out to be quite hard to do. A third book was “Anna, Banana, and the Little Lost Kitten” by Anica Mrose Rissi. In this illustrated chapter book, Anna and her two best friends rescue a stray kitten and try to find a good home for him.

Giving away books speaks directly to our mission to give children in need the tools for success. We are committed to spreading a love of reading to all the children we serve!

“It was a normal weekday in 2003 and I was enjoying my after-breakfast coffee. Having just retired from working with a state senator, I was eager to try something new. As I flipped through our local newspaper, an article on the volunteer page caught my eye. It was a write-up about Assistance League of the Chesapeake and its work at a nearby school. I had taught school in San Diego when my husband was in the Navy and thought it would be fun to work with children again,” recalls long-time member Maureen.

A few days later, she walked into an Assistance League meeting. She was warmly welcomed and discovered that our members volunteered at Georgetown East Elementary School, which was close to her home. Thus she became one of the first volunteers from our chapter at the school.

Maureen also been active in other chapter programs and events. In addition to volunteering at Georgetown East, she was a part of Kids On The Block, a puppet troupe that presents shows with an anti-bullying message. Sing-alongs for seniors is another fun program that gives her and the attendees great joy. “Best of all, I’ve enjoyed sharing these activities with the wonderful members of Assistance League of the Chesapeake and I have made real friends in this warm community of volunteers.”

One notice in the newspaper 23 years ago has made it possible for Maureen to work with hundreds of under-served children in our community and, she truly believes, make a difference. The best part of it is that the rewards flow both ways.

• Realized the extreme level of need in Anne Arundel County
• Found a great way to be a part of the solution
• Experienced satisfying personal change by volunteering with Assistance League of the Chesapeake

Kim joined Assistance League of the Chesapeake in 2013 through a friend. She was new to the community, and met Maureen, a long-time member. Upon hearing that she wanted to start volunteering locally, Maureen told her all about the good works our chapter was doing in Anne Arundel County. Her enthusiasm was contagious!

She signed up immediately, and have made volunteering in our chapter a priority ever since. Kim started by reading with second grade students at Georgetown East Elementary School, then served on the Board as secretary and membership vice president. Now she is chair of the Grants Committee and volunteers regularly in the Kids In Need school uniform program. 

“I have found enjoyment in every aspect of these activities. When I moved to Annapolis, I knew that I wanted to work with children and give back to our community. Joining Assistance League was the perfect way to accomplish this. What I didn’t realize was that volunteering would give me many opportunities to grow personally. I never imagined myself on a board or writing grants, but I opened my mind and heart and said Yes!”

I am energized working with the wonderful, giving women who belong to our chapter. The enthusiasm, exchange of ideas, social contacts and the warm and welcoming environment that our members share are a huge part of the experience. I am thankful to be a part of this amazing organization.

Alejandra is a student at Germantown Elementary School. Her family of five lives in a one-room structure behind someone else’s home. Identified as in-need by the school counselor, Alejandra joined over 2,500 students around Anne Arundel County, Maryland, who this year received polo shirts, sweatshirts, khaki pants, underwear, socks and toiletries from Assistance League of the Chesapeake.

If you were to ask Alejandra if she knows what size she usually wears, she would reply that she has never been to a store to get new clothing and that she has always worn her siblings’ hand-me-downs.

“The uniforms help students build confidence,” says the school counselor, Emily Creighton. “The students love their uniforms and are very excited when they get them from Assistance League.” We are told that the parents of these children really appreciate this gift, which eases part of their financial burden and helps their children do better in school.

Each year the hard-working members of Assistance League of the Chesapeake provide new school clothing to many disadvantaged students just like Alejandra. We are proud to be able to give the uniforms to students at seven elementary schools and one middle school in the Annapolis area. 

Through the years, over 25,000 area students have gotten to know Eddie, Claire, Jennifer, Brenda and Melody, who are puppets in our Kids On The Block troupe. With their distinct personalities, they teach children about the importance of using kindness and caring both in and out of school. Through this program, Assistance League of the Chesapeake has been entertaining second graders in Anne Arundel County for 16 years.

Bullying is a national public health issue. It affects those who are bullied, those who bully, and those who witness the bullying. It also affects a child’s mental health and is linked to many negative outcomes including substance abuse and suicide.

From October through April our cast and crew visit schools for 45-minute shows, either in person or via a video, which are presented free of charge. Our members eagerly donate their time and talents for about eight performances each school year, totaling over 800 volunteer hours.

Through carefully scripted material, the puppets portray real-life situations. Eddie is being bullied by a nasty boy in school, but learns to deal with the boy in a positive way, thanks to his friend Claire. Claire is smart and kind, and has wisdom way beyond her age. She counsels Eddie to do positive things when being bullied: tell a teacher, stand by a friend who is being bullied, and work together to raise awareness of the problem. Jennifer is a rough and ready little girl with a learning difference. She can sing, dance and play soccer. She gets straight As in math, but has an issue with reading and writing. Brenda is very sensitive to being bullied about how she looks. Jennifer helps her learn to ignore the bad remarks and like who she is. Melody is a smart and sassy girl who does well in school and offers to help Jennifer with her school work.

Kids On The Block puppets teach children:

• What constitutes bullying
• Problem-solving techniques
• How to get help from adults
• How to accept differences and similarities among their peers
• How to reject unacceptable bullying behavior

The children in the audience come to identify with the puppets and open up to them as if they were trusted friends. Students are encouraged to accept physical, social, medical and cultural differences, and are empowered to tell an adult about any perceived bullying.

Our puppet “kids” offer sound advice to the second graders at each school we visit. From our block to theirs, we are rewarded with their smiles as they absorb important life lessons at each performance.

Like many 87-year-old seniors, Bob has lived a full and busy life. He is a resident of an assisted-living facility, and though frail in body, his mind is still active. He has come to look forward to the visits by Assistance League of the Chesapeake members who lead residents in sing-alongs.

The first time he attended a sing-along, he was a little hesitant. But as the music started, he found himself sitting up a little straighter, and soon he was recalling the words, rhythms and melodies from songs he learned decades ago, while tapping in time to the music.

Assistance League members work the crowd, help residents turn the pages in their song books, play the piano and drums and lead the songs. Some of the residents have diminished cognitive abilities, but once the music starts, they often stand, sing and sway to the music. At one of these events, the gentleman sitting next to Bob showed a special fondness for a song. He was handed a microphone and his rich warm voice filled the room as he led the group in a war-time favorite.

Now Bob won’t miss a sing-along. He always leaves feeling buoyed and inspired by the joy of the music and the camaraderie and connection with others.

Our sing-alongs help seniors make memories and recall poignant ones. On one particularly eventful evening, League members were leading the residents in Valentine’s Day songs. After a few songs, a gentleman asked if we could play some of the songs again so he could sing them directly to his wife, who was a resident there. Trying to make eye contact and gently touching her cheek, he sang. Partway through his performance, she focused her attention on him, and with a tear rolling down her face, leaned over and kissed him. He jumped up and cried out, “Thank you, thank you. She hasn’t kissed me in three years!”