Our facility, located downstairs
at chapter house, continues to serve the families in need in our community.
Recently renovated, we continue to provide clothing to school children through
Family Resources and Tri-City Mental Health Center.
We have created a shopping
experience for the children so they may select 5 t-shirts in bright and
exciting colors as well as necessary underclothing and socks. Depending
on the season, jackets or sweatshirts will be available. We now provide
every child with a back pack. As usual, we like to encourage the people
in our community to help us provide shoe cards and additional items for
these families in need. Les Fleurs provide each family with a bag filled
with hygiene care. Our holiday event entitled “Act of Giving”
has been very successful providing clothing and gifts to over 150 children
in 32 families. This year Act of Giving was December 14, 2011. Our families
were gracious and thankful for what our volunteers provided. Your continued
support of Assistance League of Pomona Valley enables our volunteers to
provide for those in need. Here are a few stories that represent our participation.
We are always amazed at how these people we help give us such rewards.
At the beginning of the day a sweet man came in with his son. We provided
for him and he quietly asked about getting something for his daughter. She
was about 4 and was at City of Hope with leukemia. He was out of work but
the pride he had when he showed us her picture brought tears to our eyes.
We gave what we had available and he left thanking us profusely. Kids
came all day and about the time we started to close a very dignified woman
came in the pouring rain with her 2 sons. One of our members helped them
and tried to get one of the boys to put on dry socks. He really did not
want to. He would get them wet from his old shoes which had heavily worn
soles. Luckily we found a pair of new shoes he could wear. They were homeless.
We wondered if they had a place for that evening. The mother told us the
shelter let them stay there on rainy nights. She got them up the stairs
and quietly came back down to thank us. She wants to keep consistency in
their lives. She wondered if we knew where she might find assistance at
Christmas for small gifts for her sons. We told her we would be able to
help. We realized her sweater actually had water dripping from the sleeves.
We found mom a sweatshirt and gave her some socks, too. Her elegant face
had tears streaming down her cheeks. It’s hard to say we felt happy
but we were full of emotion. It was one of those lump in your throat times.
Sometimes it is very hard to help others and see their pain. We found out
in December she had found a job. Thanks to a special member, they had a
great Christmas.
Whether it be a young child seeing a wrapped gift, or a mom or dad realizing
they have something to give their children this year, we can all feel we
gave several families a helping hand. When we gave one little boy his new
clothes he looked up to us with an ear to ear grin. He then put his hand
to his lips and kissed it and threw us the biggest kiss ever. What a feeling!
Come help us Smile with a Child!!!