There's something special happening at this thrift store. It's run by the Assistance League, which is a national organization. But they have a local focus.
"Everything we do with assistance league is for right here in our community. We cloth students right here in Fresno County."
One of Fresno's elected officials, used to be one of those kids.
"I was 5-years-old, kind of coming into this country as a refugee."
Blong Xiong moved to Wisconsin in the dead of winter with almost nothing.
"To see that coat, to get it knowing it's cold out there and never having something like that, and then being able to go outside and play with it."
With a little help, Blong Xiong was able to graduate college.
Now, he's sitting on the Fresno City Council.
"It has one of those lasting impacts, and I could probably honestly say that it is because of these things that I'm kind of doing what I'm doing now."
Councilman Xiong now oversees a city that has a lot of need.
"The district averages about 2,700 homeless students per year."
And even if you have a roof over your head, you could still be having a tough time.
"Our district is about 82% poverty rate."
That's where the Assistance League and Operation School Bell come in. The idea is simple. Unwanted items are donated to the thrift store on Blackstone Avenue. Those items are then sold, and the money is given to underprivileged kids to buy clothes.
"One little girl once told one of our workers she goes 'now the other kids won't make fun of me.'"
But that's not all the kids get. They're also given a hygiene kit.
"Something as small as a toothbrush. You think 'oh well, you get a bar of soap, a toothbrush, shampoo. That's really nice.' but this one child was so delighted when he was holding his hygiene kit and seeing his toothbrush and says, 'now I don't have to share my toothbrush.' we realized, all the kids were sharing a toothbrush in his family."
With help from the Granville Home of Hope. Assistance league more than doubled the amount of kids they help. But they can't get to everyone.
"This year we're going to be able to help 1,551 students. But according to Fresno Unified, they fell like there's about 5,000 children that are in need."
A former child in need, says it best.
"You don't need a handout, you need a hand up, and this is part of us providing a hand up at this time."
A ticket for the granville home of hope is just $100. To buy a ticket for call 440-8388. You can also buy them at Gb3 locations, Central Distributing and the Granville Home offices. The giveaway will take place on September 29th.
TXT 24
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