Operation School Bell^®

Operation School Bell was established in 1998 as the first philanthropic program of Assistance League of Metro Columbus. The program provides services to children in need in the Columbus City Schools to enhance self-esteem, promote learning, and encourage regular school attendance.  Programs under Operation School Bell include reading and tutoring kindergarten children, providing school supplies, shoes and haircuts for elementary students.

Reading

The program consisted of member-volunteers providing one-on-one tutoring for kindergarten students in reading at an inner city school before the pandemic.  In 2023 the committee explored other options and found Slate Hill Elementary School in the Worthington area interested in having members read to students.  Presently, members read to the children and review words introduced in the classroom.

Head & Toe

The Chapter voted in 2025 that the program would be on pause for this fiscal year because the schools have not responded sufficiently to warrant the expense.

School Supplies

A new program for the 2021-22 school year is to give elementary school supplies to students who are living in two shelters in the metropolitan Columbus area.  If the need exists, more shelters may be added to the program.

Assault Survivor Kits^®

This is a program of National Assistance League.  Under Metro Columbus’ program are Hygiene Kits, Crisis Clothing Hospitals, Huckleberry House, several local homeless shelters and providing comfort teddy bears.

Hygiene Kits

Personal health and hygiene kits are assembled and distributed to the emergency departments of hospitals in the Metro Columbus area, the Family Center for Safety and Healing, Huckleberry House, the Open Shelter, and the Van Buren Shelter. The shelters were added in 2020 as a result of the pandemic.  Survivors of physical and sexual abuse seen in both adult and pediatric emergency departments are recipients of these kits.  Chapter members meet monthly to assemble the hygiene kits.  The travel size contents of the kits are purchased or donated by members.  Approximately 300 kits are prepared each month.

Crisis Clothing and Domestics

Hospitals

This program supplies clothing items for survivors of physical and sexual assault seen in the following hospitals located in the Metro Columbus area:

Doctor’s Hospital, Grant Medical Center, Riverside Methodist Hospital, Dublin Methodist Hospital, Westerville Emergency Department, OSU East, Mt. Carmel East Hospital, Mt. Carmel Medical Center, St. Ann’s Hospital, The Center for Family Safety and Healing/Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

Clothing is delivered to SARNCO (Sexual Assault Response Network of Central Ohio) on Olentangy River Road and distributed to the hospitals that have requested these items. We provide sweats, shirts/tops, underwear, socks, and other items on an as-needed basis.  We also give Mt. Carmel safety bars to distribute to the assault survivors who need them.

We also provide clothing to several local homeless shelters on an as-needed basis.

Huckleberry House

Clothing and hygiene kits are distributed to teens at Huckleberry House in the Crisis Shelter program.  We also assemble and deliver start-up baskets of household items for the Transitional Living Program which houses 40 occupants in apartments for a 12-18 month period while learning life skills.

Bears

Comfort bears are given to children who are survivors of physical or mental abuse and seen at the Family Center for Safety and Healing, part of Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

Baby Onboard

Baby Onboard involves partnering with Grant Hospital’s CenteringPregnancy program, a nationally accredited organization where women receive their prenatal care in a group setting.  They participate in a facilitated discussion and interactive activities designed to address important and timely health topics while leaving room to discuss what is relevant to the group.  Each month close to the due dates of the expectant mothers the hospital arranges to have a “shower” with gifts and light refreshments.  Metro Columbus chapter assists by providing baskets of baby items for each of the women.  We also provide breast-feeding pillows and other items as needed.

Providing Assistance and Laughter for Seniors (PALS)

Providing Assistance and Laughter for Seniors was established in 2007 to provide companionship and assistance to seniors at Westminster Thurber Assisted Living community.  We offer complimentary personal and food items to the residents. During the pandemic members were unable to visit residents so they prepared “goodie bags” to distribute quarterly.