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We’re so grateful to the Taco Bell Foundation for their generous $15,000 grant supporting our Youth Essentials & Support (YES) initiative.

YES provides essential items and support to students in our local schools who are experiencing housing instability. From personal care items and clothing to food and other everyday necessities, these resources help young people feel supported and better prepared to focus on school and their future.

Thank you, Taco Bell Foundation, for helping us provide a little extra support to local youth when they need it most. We’re grateful to have you in our corner!

To learn more about YES, which falls under the umbrella of our Operation School Bell® program, please visit our website at https://alswwa.org/operation-school-bell/

Assistance League of Southwest Washington held its 13^th Annual Back-to-School Shopping Event over 3 days in August at the Grand Central Fred Meyer.  Thanks to the generosity of the community and Fred Meyer’s support, 100 youth in out-of-home care each received $175 to spend on school clothing and shoes, which they took home in a colorful cloth shopping bag hand crafted by Assistance League volunteers.

Heartfelt thanks to Fred Meyer for the 10% discount on each purchase and to McDonalds of Clark County for a very generous donation and coupons for free ice cream for each young shopper.  

Studies show that new clothing can do more than brighten a wardrobe.  It can also boost confidence and self-esteem, encourage stronger school attendance, and help create a more positive learning environment.  Each of these small but meaningful changes helps set children on a path toward greater success in school and in life.

For the third year in a row, BOMBAS has generously donated 5,000 pairs of socks to Assistance League of Southwest Washington. That’s 15,000 pairs of socks over 3 years, helping children, teens, and families through our Operation School Bell®, Assault Survivor Kits®, Fostering Independence, and Children’s Opportunities & Potential programs.

A pair of socks may seem like a small thing, but when someone needs them, they can mean so much. We’re incredibly grateful to BOMBAS for continuing to show up for our community in such a meaningful way. 

Thank you for helping us keep so many feet – and hearts – a little warmer.

On July 24, our volunteers had a wonderful time hosting the Kids Parade during the City of Camas’ annual Camas Days celebration! This year’s theme was “Celebrating 50 Years of Camas Days and 250 Years of America,” and the turnout and costumes did not disappoint.

From fire trucks, stilt walkers and llamas to patriotic costumes, hippies with their VW van, and even George Washington crossing the Delaware, the creativity was amazing. Costume winners dressed as a classic ice cream truck, soda jerks, and even a baby ice cream cone served as the Grand Marshals.

A special thank you to Boy Scout Troop 562 for carrying the parade banners and Camas City Council Member Marilyn Boerke for assisting with costume judging.

And thank you to our volunteers who participated this year – Michelle Craig, Cathy Fravel, Jeanne Lightburn, Stacy Mathieson, Peggy Nitschke, Kathy Park, Marcia Robison, Cindy Schart, Ann Smits, Bonnie Webberly, and Lori Wompole. With well-deserved kudos going to Pam Tetz, our VP of Resource Development for working tirelessly with the Camas-Washougal Chamber of Commerce to make this wonderful community tradition possible.

We’d like to extend our sincere thanks to McDonald’s of Clark County for their generous support of Assistance League of Southwest Washington.

When we recently approached McDonald’s about sponsoring our annual Sleigh Bell Benefit fundraiser, they graciously said yes. Then they went a step further by making an additional donation to support our JUST because… program, which hosts two clothing shopping events each year for youth in foster care, ages 10–21.

For many of these young people, being able to choose their own new clothes provides more than just a wardrobe – it fosters confidence, independence, and a sense of belonging. McDonald’s generous donation helps make those experiences possible and reminds these deserving youth that their community cares about them.

To make our Back-to-School Shopping Event in August even more special, McDonald’s is also providing coupons for free ice cream cones for each participant.

Our Annual Spring Festival at Strive Northwest on May 19th was filled with the smiles and laughter of 80 enthusiastic kids enjoying a day made just for them! From the sticker station and cozy reading corner with stories shared by our volunteers, to creating their own bean seed kits to take home and watch grow, every activity brought joy and creativity to the day.

Each child also got to take home a brand-new book of their very own — a gift we hope inspires a lifelong love of reading.

Our volunteers had such a wonderful time spending the day with these amazing kids. Helping Strive Northwest achieve their mission also helps us fulfill ours: supporting children in Southwest Washington. We’re so grateful for this meaningful partnership!

We’re excited to share a new way to support Assistance League of Southwest Washington through our partnership with Columbia Credit Union and Sprout^SM.

With Sprout, your everyday purchases can make a meaningful difference. By simply rounding up your debit card purchases, your spare change is automatically turned into support for the programs and people we serve.

You can also choose to make one-time or recurring donations through Columbia Credit Union’s secure and easy-to-use digital banking platform.

Small acts of generosity add up in powerful ways. With Sprout, every coffee run, grocery trip, or quick errand becomes another opportunity to help us provide more support, more care, and more hope to those who need it most.

You can learn more here: https://www.columbiacu.org/sprout/

On May 9, Assistance League of Southwest Washington had the opportunity to share about our history, programs, volunteers, and fundraising efforts with the Vancouver Heights United Women in Faith at their Tea to Empower Women.

Before the event, the group generously collected in-kind donations for the unhoused and unaccompanied youth we support, including personal care items and Cup Noodles. The donations were delivered to our partners at Vancouver and Evergreen Public Schools, who were very appreciative.

Thank you to the Women in Faith for inviting us, welcoming us so warmly, and supporting youth in our community through your kindness and generosity.

On April 10, one of our dear volunteers and good friend, Elsie Akerson, passed away peacefully in her sleep at the age of 85.  As one of the founding members of the Assistance League of Southwest Washington, she was instrumental in building the organization from the ground up. She devoted her time to committees, programs, and events while forming many meaningful friendships along the way.

Elsie was born and raised in North Carolina and maintained a lifelong connection to the community there. For over 30 years she worked at The Columbian as an advertising executive, building friendships that meant so much to her. She loved her family and her garden. And she didn’t shy away from speaking her mind when she felt strongly about something.

“For more than 20 years, she lived with stage 4 lung cancer—something her doctors could only describe as extraordinary. They considered her a miracle, and we felt the same. She moved through those years with fierce determination, filling them with joy, curiosity, humor, and an unwavering love of life.

She loved the Assistance League community—its mission, its people, and the shared belief in serving children and shaping a better future. She was deeply thankful for the care, friendship, and dedication she felt from all of you,” ~ Elsie’s daughter.

Elsie always had a dry wit, an engaging smile, and a gleam in her eye.  She will be dearly missed, leaving an Elsie-sized hole in our hearts.

In 2025, Assistance League of Southwest Washington (ALSW) launched two new initiatives to support teens in Vancouver who are unhoused or unaccompanied. Public schools in Clark County estimate nearly 3,000 students are experiencing homelessness—living in shelters, cars, motels, outdoors, or temporarily staying with other families after losing housing. After hearing firsthand accounts from Family Resource Coordinators at Vancouver Public Schools (VPS), ALSW knew it needed to act—starting small, with a vision to grow.

The first initiative, Bags of Basics, provides drawstring backpacks filled with hygiene items and snacks—simple essentials that offer comfort, dignity, and care during difficult times. With guidance from Carla Feltz, VPS Family Engagement and Technical Assistance Coordinator, ALSW initially assembled 13 bags each for boys and girls within VPS. Since then, an additional 26 bags have been distributed, with more supplies secured for future distribution.

The second initiative, Youth Essentials & Support (YES), addresses the urgent needs of unaccompanied students—youth living without a parent or guardian due to homelessness, family conflict, abandonment, or other crises. Although enrolled in school, many lack the basic necessities required for daily life and consistent attendance. Without stable adult support, they face significant barriers to academic success and overall well-being. YES provides timely, individualized assistance so students can remain focused on learning rather than survival.

Unaccompanied youth are widely recognized as a high-need population and are often undercounted, as many avoid shelters and formal support systems. To better reach these students, ALSW partners with Nathan Schubert, Unaccompanied Youth Coordinator for Evergreen Public Schools. He responds directly to urgent needs—providing clothing, hygiene supplies, bedding, food, and household items—and personally delivers them to students across five middle schools and two high schools.

We are proud to announce that both initiatives will continue as ongoing programs under its long-standing Operation School Bell® program, expanding its commitment to supporting students in need throughout the community.