About Us
Our Story
Assistance League is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to putting caring and commitment into action through community-based philanthropic programs. The more than 120 national chapters are vital, contributing parts of their communities. Assistance League recognizes that it is the strength and power of volunteers that can make a lasting difference.
This caring and commitment inspired several residents of April Sound to "organize and affiliate." In March 1985, a steering committee met, and in May 1986, Lake Conroe Auxiliary of Assistance League of Houston was certified as Houston's first auxiliary. There were 41 charter members.
Prime Time Treasures was selected as the first philanthropic program of Lake Conroe Auxiliary in September 1985. Its purpose was to provide an outlet where senior citizens of Montgomery County could display and sell their crafts, thus providing them personal satisfaction for their craftsmenship as well as additional income to enhance their quality of life.
To support the Prime Time Treasures program, Lake Conroe Auxiliary of Assistance League of Houston Thrift Shop was established as a continuing fundraising activity. Within two years, the original 900-square-foot Thrift Shop quarters at 1018 Houston Street were too small, and the Thrift Shop was moved into a 2700-square-foot building at 703 East Davis Street.
As the membership grew, so did the desire to reach out to the community. In April 1988, Operation School Bell®, the signature program of Assistance League, was added. This program provides new school clothing and shoes for children who have been referred by counselors in the Montgomery County school districts. The first year 33 children received clothing. This program has continued to grow and expand its service area to all six school districts throughout Montgomery County. By 2006, every public elementary school in Montgomery County was invited to participate in referring their students. By 2008, we had added two junior high schools to our referral list. For several years, hygiene kits and grade-appropriate books were passed out to the children. Most recently our program has expanded to include the Dr. Seuss Reading Day where our volunteers read books to the elementary children. Operation School Bell celebrated its 50th year in 2010 having provided new clothing to more than 2 million children nationwide. We are very proud that our chapter has been able to clothe more than 30,000 of those children in our 23-year commitment to Operation School Bell.
Poison Information - Always Ask™, the third philanthropic program, was presented for the first time in November 1988. Members presented an educational program to preschool and kindergarten children, teaching them about the dangers of poisonous substances in and around the home. This program is presented in schools and day care centers throughout Montgomery County.
Assault Survivor Kits® was approved by the membership in 1994. These kits contain clothing and hygiene supplies for victims of assault who have presented themselves to area hospitals for examination and collection of evidence. Tender Loving Care Dolls, handmade by our members, were added to this program in 1999 as a tool for therapy and comfort to children and adults.
In February 2006, the membership voted to separate Tender Loving Care Dolls into its own philanthropic program. Further expansion of the Assault Survivor Kits program was made in May of 2006 with art and play therapy items being provided to area agencies that counsel abused and troubled children. Also added to the kits were t-shirts, handmade pillows and coverlets for the children who are undergoing examinations at Children's Safe Harbor.
Assistance League of Houston and National Assistance League® Board approved the status of Assistance League of Lake Conroe Area as a guild of National Assistance League in 1994. On March 13, 1995, the guild became the 92nd chapter to be chartered by National Assistance League.
Several changes were made to the philanthropic programs in January 1997. Prime Time Treasures was discontinued and two new programs were added. The fourth program, Passport for Good Health™, would provide parents with a diary to record their child's immunizations and other health information. This Passport for Good Health was expanded in 2008 to include a health record for seniors. In 2010,the distribution of layettes and hand-knitted caps for newborns was added.
The fifth program, Fans for Friends, serves the senior residents of Montgomery County by providing box fans in the summer and blankets in the winter to qualified recipients.
Assistance League of Lake Conroe Area leased a 4500-square-foot space in Woodcreek Shopping Center at 2017 North Frazier in June of 1997. This facility provided space for the Thrift Shop, storage for the five philanthropic programs, Board room and office space to be in one location.
In 2000, the first steps were taken to look for sites to build the chapter's own facility. An acre of property at the corner of N. San Jacinto St. and Collins St. (now Metcalf St.) in downtown Conroe was purchased in 2002, and construction began in October of that year. The new 8000-square-foot facility was completed in June 2003. The Thrift Shop opened for business in the new location on July 7, and ribbon cutting and Grand Opening Celebration, honoring special supporters, was July 10, 2003. The new building housing Thrift Shop and work area, programs room, separate Operation School Bell rooms, computer room, meeting room and kitchen is located at 126 North San Jacinto Street.
The membership of Assistance League of Lake Conroe Area approved a name change for the organization in 2003. The new name, Assistance League of Montgomery County, better reflects the demographic make up of the membership.
The loan for the new building was paid in full in December of 2004. This was made possible by a sizeable gift from the James D. Nunan Estate. In 2006, in honor of Mr. Nunan, membership approved a new philanthropic program, Through our Scholarship program, Montgomery County high school seniors who meet the criteria and are enrolled in a four-year Texas college or university are provided financial assistance. The student must be in financial need and plan to major in social sciences or a helping profession.
Mayor Tommy Metcalf proclaimed Assistance League of Montgomery County Day in Conroe in 2008. He also established the Tommy Metcalf Endowment - Assistance League of Montgomery County Fund. Distribution of available income has been made annually.
The Community Outreach Program was approved in 2008, becoming our eighth philanthropic program. This program allows Assistance League of Montgomery County to address a range of unmet community needs on a one-time or short-term basis and partner with other 501(c)(3) organizations. Our newest philanthropic program, Pass It On, was approved in 2010. Unsold merchandise from our Thrift Shop is "passed on" to other service agencies in the Montgomery County area to be distributed to their clients.
The Thrift Shop has been an ongoing source of pride for the chapter. Steadily increasing sales mean that more money is going into our philanthropic programs. In 2010, the building was remodeled to provide an additional 3800 square feet of meeting, work, and sales space.
Assistance League is coming to be known as a prominent philanthropic organization in the community through public relations campaigns at both the national and chapter levels. Locally the chapter participates in both chambers of commerce and takes an active part in special events sponsored by the City of Conroe. The Speakers Bureau, established in 2006 in order to promote the local chapter, represents Assistance League and stresses the importance of volunteering in the community. Exposure in the community is expanded as the Thrift Shop Committee organizes fashion shows, taking specially selected items of merchandise and fashions "on the road" to community associations throughout the county. The fashion shows bring an additional source of income as well as increasing awareness of our mission.
Assistance League of Montgomery County is proud of the achievements made through the nine philanthropic programs and the success of the Thrift Shop in downtown Conroe. As member volunteers we have the power to make positive changes and put caring and commitment into action in the Montgomery County area.
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Assistance League of Montgomery County: Quick Facts |
- Largest active membership of Assistance League Chapters in the country
- Current membership - 491
- Located at 2611 West Avenue
- Touched the lives of over 65,000 members of the Montgomery County community last year
- 100% of philanthropic work done by volunteers
- Last year’s volunteer hours - 66,000
- Major source of funds for philanthropic work - Thrift House at 2611 West Avenue
- Projects serviced through agencies, schools and organizations that verify needs of individuals
- Sponsors seven Philanthropic Programs:
- Adopt A Resident - gift of time and friendship to Chandler Nursing Home residents
- C.A.P.S. - donation of 950 caps last year to acutely ill children and teens in local hospitals
- College Scholarships - Twelve $2000 scholarships to qualifying juniors and seniors
- I'm In Charge - reaches over 6,000 elementary students with a program about personal safety
- Operation School Bell - provides school clothes for over 4,000 elementary children in need of clothing in order to attend school
- Togs for Tots - provides clothing for more than 5,600 children from birth to age five at the request of 27 community agencies
- Watch Me Grow - distributes over 20,000 booklets as a guide for parents about the developmental stages of their children
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