Anne Banning
Ada Laughlin
How Assistance League Got Started
Assistance League traces its roots to the mid-1890s, when our founder, Anne Smith Banning, joined a small group of Los Angeles women dedicated to charitable work. In 1906, they rallied in response to the San Francisco earthquake and fire—collecting funds and sewing clothes for those in need. By the following year, the group had established a permanent organization to serve their community.
In 1919, Anne Banning and twelve friends formally founded Assistance League of Southern California, providing food and clothing to families struggling in the aftermath of World War I. Their vision inspired neighboring communities to organize similar groups.
To support this growing movement, Anne Banning and Ada Laughlin established the National Assistance League in 1935, creating a framework for leadership training, education, and effective volunteerism that continues to guide our work today.
Our Local Story
In 2003, a small group of dedicated volunteers began gathering in one another’s homes with a simple goal—to make a difference in their community. From those early meetings grew the Assistance League of Southwest Washington.
Originally recognized as a guild of Assistance League, the group became a full-fledged chapter in 2008. Since then, our members have been a steady force for good—improving the lives of thousands of children and families across Clark County and surrounding areas.
