In-kind Gifts Boost Assistance League of St. Louis Impact

From backpacks that equip children in domestic shelters with back-to-school essentials to household items that help families rebuild after a crisis to furniture that maximizes use of Assistance League of St. Louis (ALSTL) headquarters, recent in-kind gifts to ALSTL have boosted the impact of community programs.

Slick City, a new ALSTL in-kind donor, provided 150 backpacks filled with school supplies, just in time for volunteers from Project ROSE to meet the needs of children heading back to the classroom after their mothers have fled to the safety of a domestic shelter. With funding from Thrivent, a group of cousins from one family added 20 additional filled backpacks to the inventory.

“We are so grateful to these caring donors, including youth volunteers, whose gifts enable us to provide school supplies to families in need,” said Project ROSE Co-Chair Janine Barton.

The backpacks were also used by the Outreach volunteers to meet the immediate needs of returning students. In addition, Ford Hotel Supply, a new ALSTL supporter in the past year, made another significant donation, which will enable the Outreach team to provide essential household items to families recovering from a crisis, including those continuing to rebuild their lives after the devastating May tornado.

“Ford’s gift of bakeware and serving bowls, along with 600 disposable bowls and 9500 pieces of silverware will have a huge impact on our ability to serve families in need throughout the community,” said ALSTL Outreach Co- Chair Karen Davis. “And the paper products collected by our OsteoStrong Chesterfield partner are critical items as well.”

A gift of furniture from Lindenwood University made a different kind of impact. ALSTL Headquarters in Ellisville is the site of most ALSTL meetings. This requires frequent reconfiguration of meeting rooms to accommodate the needs of various volunteer teams as they coordinate activities in schools and throughout the community. Lindenwood donated lightweight tables and chairs with wheels, which can easily be moved as volunteers rearrange rooms to suit the needs of their committees.

“Our headquarters is a hub of activity throughout the week,” said ALSTL Operations Manager, volunteer Sue Oefelein. “The furniture from Lindenwood University has significantly decreased time spent on housekeeping tasks, freeing volunteers to focus on work that enables us to invest in student success and help families in crisis.”

ALSTL President Sandy Brody summed things up with a familiar saying in ALSTL circles. “Sometimes a little assistance is all it takes to change lives.”