South Whittier School District families were able to receive free Target vouchers through Operation School Bell Wednesday, February 6, at the Target in Santa Fe Springs to purchase new school clothes.
Operation School Bell is a philanthropic program through the Assistance League of Whittier, a non-profit organization with about 200 members located in Uptown Whittier. The families that are chosen to participate in this event are screened for eligibility through their school.
Families who are eligible are able to attend the event at the participating Target on a chosen date to shop with their vouchers. The Assistance League provides a voucher for each child with a set amount of money. The vouchers are good toward school clothes and under garments only, and during this specified time, families are able to shop with no tax added to their purchases.
The organization held an Operation School Bell event for South Whittier School District families back in November, and they plan to hold more events in the future.
The Assistance League is able to continue events like this because of their thrift shop in Uptown Whittier, which provides most of their funding. They also receive funding through private individual donations, an annual Community Support letter that asks for monetary donations specifically for Operation School Bell, and corporate and private foundation grants.
At this Operation School Bell event, roughly 100 families were given vouchers.