Operation School Bell
Operation School Bell removes barriers to school attendance for low income, homeless and foster youth by going to school sites and providing children with a week’s worth of new school clothing, shoes, and personal grooming items. They currently serve 2800 children per year, who are living in poverty and are often unable to attend school regularly because basic school clothing has become a luxury their parents cannot afford. Supplying them with appropriate clothing removes the pressure of not having the right clothes to wear to school, so the children are then free to concentrate on schoolwork with a new level of self-confidence. By providing this service, consistent school attendance and academic achievement are encouraged, thus helping these children escape the cycle of poverty. OSB will use their WHY grant of $22,400.00 to purchase a new trailer, which will replace the current worn out trailer. OSB will customize the trailer with child-friendly safety features and customized dressing rooms, which will also allow for greater efficiency. With the updated trailer, OSB will be able to serve more school sites as well as an additional 800 kids per year (3500 total), who would otherwise be unable to attend school on a consistent basis.