Official Website: Assistance League Of Bellingham

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will post the WEEKLY SALES. Scroll down to read more!

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Thrift & Gift Shop Sales: Apr. 2 - 6

Posted: April 2nd, 2019

WEEKLY SALES...
50% off:
* ALL BOOKS! (including Vintage Books)
* Men’s & Women’s Blue Jeans

75% off:
* WINTER Clothing marked with a 75% off Sticker
* Items with Green Tags/Stickers

Bargain Bin: Imperfect Vintage Glass Insulators, 2 for $1.00

Jewelry:
* $1.00 Sale Tray (marked with red dot)
* Select Jewelry, 50% off (marked with 50% off sticker)

Due to the huge amount of donations we have been receiving, WE WILL NOT BE ACCEPTING DONATIONS APRIL 15-20th, the week before Easter. This will give us time to get caught up.

Thank you for understanding and your cooperation.

Assistance League Contributes to “Kids Need Books” Program

Posted: March 5th, 2019

Assistance League ACTION! Week

Action Week is a National Assistance League annual event with chapters across the U S. helping their communities in their own unique way. This year’s theme is children’s literacy, with a focus on making books more readily available to children in need.

Members of Assistance League of Bellingham’s Public Relations Committee had the opportunity to distribute the books collected at our Thrift & Gift Shop through donations from the community and our membership. On March 26th and 28th, we met with “Kids Need Books” coordinator, Joe Nolting, at two Bellingham Pop-up Food Bank locations. It was an eye-opening experience. Sadly there are many people in need of so much!

The books were very well received as were flash cards for learning colors and numbers. The coloring books with crayons went over well as a way to learn colors and hand-eye coordination. The need we have “fallen into” may have provided us with another way to serve our community…as we consider new programs.

Thank you to all who contributed to this important program. Please continue to bring books and dictionaries in Spanish-English and Russian-English. Board books and picture books for young readers are especially needed. These kids just love the opportunity to read. For the most part, they do not have a TV, or computer or smartphone. We are their link to the world of learning and the joy of reading.

We are proud to report that over the past year, Assistance League of Bellingham has donated over 2,500 books to the “Kids Need Books” program!

Care Center Support Program Provides Christmas Gifts

Posted: December 26th, 2018

Below is a note from the Activities Director of Avamere Bellingham Health Care to Anni Martinek, chair of Assistance League of Bellingham’s Care Center Support program. Anni is wearing the red coat in the photo on the left.

“Hello Anni and the whole Assistance League team,

Our residents were so happy to receive such wonderful generous gifts from you all during our annual Christmas party. We spent the morning with Santa delivering to rooms for residents who would not be able to attend the party. The party was in the afternoon and our residents were so excited for Santa to arrive and distribute the gifts which displayed under the tree. The sizes, colors were perfect. Very well organized. Thank you for all you do and your generosity makes a difference in making our residents happy.”

Warm regards,
Rani Kathuria, Activities Director
Avamere Bellingham Health Care

Anni reports that the Care Center Support program is unique in many ways. “We provide Christmas gifts to residents in eight different long-term care facilities: six in Bellingham and two in Ferndale. The activity directors identify potential recipients (anyone with a limited income or little social support). They are asked what they would like Santa to bring them for Christmas. Assistance League members volunteers ‘shop til they drop’ to purchase the requested items. They wrap and deliver the gifts, thereby spreading the joy of the season.

Last year over 300 gifts were delivered to 131 residents in 8 different care centers. Some of the requested items were: flannel pjs, cologne, a lap blanket, large print picture books, and dog treats for a service dog that visits.

“We truly spread a little joy and bring such smiles to the resident’s faces. We wish we could do it more often. Have you ever received a gift and you were so touched by the gesture that you burst into tears? I have witnessed the tears of joy as gifts were opened. It is truly a humbling experience. I am proud to belong to Assistance League of Bellingham.”