Members of the Assistance League of Santa Clarita commemorated its 31st year of helping the Santa Clarita community during its member appreciation dinner at the Sand Canyon Country Club on Wednesday.
The Santa Clarita chapter, which operates a resale store on Bouquet Canyon Road, consists of over 200 volunteer members who strive to meet the growing needs of the expanding city. The organization was recognized by the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce as the Nonprofit of the Year in February.
According to a news release provided by the nonprofit, “Chief Executive Officer Matt Zarcufsky reminded members how important their philanthropic programs are to this community. … The National Operation School Bell Award was presented to Nick O’Dell, manager of [the] local JCPenney store, in appreciation for his partnership and positive effect on the chapter’s Operation School Bell clothing event.”
Outgoing President Durinda Evanoff reflected on the past couple of years she spent as president.
“Our store is not like a typical resale store, it’s like a boutique. Every day you’ll find something new, some great treasures. It’s just fabulous, and all that money that we raise in that store goes right back into this community,” Evanoff said. “We have donation days, our volunteers take the items, price them, and sort them out. We appreciate all the donations from the community because that’s what makes our programs run.”
Through donations, signature programs such as Operation School Bell have provided students in school with clothing and shoes that amounts to $3.2 million since 1991, according to the Assistance League website.
Yvonne Mojica, who was previously in charge of marketing, discussed working with foster youth and how the youth of Santa Clarita volunteer with the Assistance League’s young adult chapter, Assisteens.
“We work closely with Dora Lozano, College of the Canyons Inspire Scholars coordinator, and the foster youth that have aged out of foster care that attend COC. We work closely with them so we provide hygiene products twice a year. We collect them, and then they have a place to house the products,” Mojica said. “Our Assisteens are high school students that volunteer in our store. They have a food drive twice a year that fills the pantry of COC.”
As Mojica is transitioning into the philanthropic role of the organization this coming year, outgoing philanthropic chair Jan Ladd discussed the literacy initiatives with local elementary schools: Birthday Books and Camp Read-A-Lot.
“Birthday Books are for grades kindergarten to second. Students come and choose two books during the month of their birthday — it’s for us to celebrate their birthday with a gift of a book, and for them to learn to choose a book for their class and their teacher to learn about giving back,” Ladd said. “Camp Read-A-Lot is to encourage summer reading. We gave every third and fourth class in the Title I schools of the Newhall School District enough books for their students. This is the first time we did it.”
