Assistance League of Austin

Assistance League of Austin

Written by Tiffany Young Friday, 25 July 2008

At the Assistance League of Austin, women mill about, hanging up clothing, redecorating window arrangements and organizing lightly used garments and furniture for the Thrift House, an upscale thrift shop that raises funds for the nonprofit’s six programs.

Though the Assistance League of Austin is a nonprofit organization, President Suanne Roueche boasts that it is run like a business. After all, last year the Thrift House brought in more than $600,000.

About 380 members make up the nonprofit, most working at least one four-hour shift at the Thrift House each month as well as volunteering multiple hours in one or more of the six programs. Some spouses are members of the PALs, or Partners of Assistance League. Women who would like to join the organization, but cannot volunteer the required 90 hours per year, can become limited service members and volunteer 45 hours per year.

The organization’s six programs are Operation School Bell, Toy Cart at Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas, Bus with Us, Austin Community College Occupational/Technical Scholarships, Preparation for Adult Living and Assault Survivor Kits.

Assistance League’s flagship program is Operation School Bell, which has been providing a wardrobe of new clothing for disadvantaged Austin Independent School District children for 23 years. Last year it clothed more than 3,100 children.

About 20 to 30 children at a time are bused to the Assistance League building to pick out clothes, a backpack and a book, donated by Half Price Books, to take home. While students wait their turn, volunteers engage the children in fun learning activities.

“What we’re trying to do is clothe these school children and help them be excited about going to school, being in the classroom where learning can occur,” Roueche said. “There are quite a number of children, hard to believe, that do not attend school regularly because they must share clothing with their siblings or they haven’t [got] appropriate school clothes. We are working to evaluate our service to these children and to determine if receiving new clothes early in the school year will improve attendance. That is our goal: helping them feel good about their appearance and being indistinguishable from their peers.”

The nonprofit also partners with Stein Mart in its semiannual Trade In, Trade Up. Stein Mart customers receive a coupon for 20 percent off any item in the store for each item they donate to Assistance League, up to four coupons per person. League volunteers man tables at the front doors of every Austin Stein Mart store to receive donations. These gently used items contribute to the upscale effort to “turn goods into good deeds.”

“We had one person just take off his jacket and hand it to us over the table,” Roueche said.

The Assistance League of Austin received the Community Advocate Award in 2007 from the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce and the Philanthropy of the Year Award in 2006 from the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

Donate to the Austin League

The best way to help the Assistance League of Austin is to shop at or to donate gently used goods to its Thrift House. The Thrift House is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Donations are collected at 4901 Burnet Road Monday through Saturday. Items for sale include clothing, furniture, household items, antiques, jewelry, books, toys and seasonal items.

Assistance League of Austin, 4901 Burnet Road, 458-3716, www.alaustin.org