About 230 Los Angeles Unified School District students were given new clothes, shoes, toiletry kits, backpacks, school supplies, books and a toy or game on Friday, April 19, through a program that serves low-income children.
The Assistance League of Los Angeles, a nonprofit that runs Operation School Bell, teamed up once again with the Los Angeles Police Department to hand out the items at Bassett Street Elementary School in Van Nuys.
Operation School Bell has multiple objectives. It aims to provide elementary students with basic essentials so they can thrive in school and break the cycle of poverty. In addition, the program is an opportunity for young people to interact positively with law enforcement to dispel fear and promote trust.
The league has partnered with the LAPD for over 12 years on this program.
On Friday, interim Police Chief Dominic Choi and other members of the LAPD were on hand to help get the children fitted for shoes while other volunteers helped them select new clothes. Students also got to pick out a book to take home, along with other essential items.
According to the Assistance League of Los Angeles’ website, going to school is painful for many impoverished children, who end up attending classes irregularly, dropping out or never enrolling in the first place because their families can’t afford basic necessities like socks and shoes.
By providing clothes and other items to help them fit in with their classmates, students can focus on learning in school rather than what they’re wearing.
According to the league, for some students, the items they receive through Operation School Bell mark the first time they’ve owned new underwear or their own grooming supplies, new clothes or shoes that fit properly.
Operation School Bell serves more than 8,499 children in Los Angeles annually.
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