Assistance League of Ventura County looking for new members to keep organization thriving
VENTURA, Calif.-- A long time local nonprofit organization is noticing a decline in their members. Many of the members of the Assistant League of Ventura County are now getting older and retiring from the organization. They are now looking for a new generation to step in and help continue the work.
A little white house located on the corner of East Santa Clara Street in Ventura has been a safe space for hundreds of girls in Ventura County since the 1950’s. Kids learn how to cook, sew, dance, and take field trips. It is also one of the first programs adopted by the Ventura County chapter of Assistance League.
“It is very exciting opportunity to help people, and to help mostly children,” said Leslie Mackey, who is the President Assistance League of Ventura County. “You feel a lot of gratification.”
The Assistance League of Ventura County is one of 120 chapter nations wide. The non profit manages six different community programs serving nearly 2,000 children throughout the county every year.
“Our signature program which all of the 120 chapters participate in is Operation School Bell,” said Mackey. “It is a program originally designed to provide new school clothes, school supplies to children that have great need. Last year we were able to cloth in Oxnard and Ventura schools 1,300 children.”
The funding for these programs come from this Ventura Thrift shop.
“The Bargain Box is an all volunteer run business which supports all these programs,” said Mackey. “It is the main fundraiser. All the ladies and some men that work here are on a volunteer basis everyday, five days a week.”
“It is pretty amazing how much they can do by being run by volunteers,” said Jessica Purdy-Berg, was is a newer member of the Assistance League.
But Assistance League members are aging out. The organization now only has 80 members.
“We are hoping to get more people involved as we have seen some people that have been long time members sort of age out due to health reasons or just purely age so we are hoping to get in a new generation,” said Purdy-Berg.
For more information on the organization, click on the link below:
http://assistanceleagueventuracounty.org/program/girls-clubteen-club/
