GARDEN CITY, Idaho — Have you heard about Operation School Bell? It's an incredible opportunity for kids ages K-6 in the Boise community to get some much needed back to school clothes and shoes.
The ladies from the Assistance League of Boise make it possible each year. They take kids rereferred from their schools on a shopping spree at their headquarters in Garden City.
8-year-old Ezekiel is a student at Taft Elementary in Boise. He was so excited to be at the Operation School Bell store.
"This is Operation School Bell where lots of schools come to get free clothes, get the right fit and get what they like," Ezekiel said. "Today, I got a camo hat, and I got these new shoes, they fit me well and I love how they are the Bronco blue ones because I'm addicted to football. My favorite football team is the Boise State Broncos. I got this camo winter jacket! and it actually fits me pretty well."
Ezekiel told us it felt a lot like Christmas. He enjoyed every minute.
"The experience here has been really fun, and everyone here is really nice," he said. "It's just fun."
Operation School Bell is one of the premiere philanthropic projects of the Assistance League of Boise. $400,000 will be spent on students in need this fall. Kathy Henkel is the chair of the program.
"Operation School Bell is a program where we dress children that are referred by their counselors so they have school clothes for the new year, and we're hoping to dress 3,550 children this year," Henkel said. "The Assistance League of Boise is a hundred percent volunteer, a lot of us are retired, and we work in our thrift shop or are dedicated to our philanthropies. We earn our money for Operation School Bell through grants and through our sales in the thrift shop."
The volunteers begin stocking this makeshift kids' clothing store in June. It has everything a kid could need, and they love shopping with the kids. Just ask Julia Langley.
"Every year it's my favorite thing, it's really fun, so I always come back to do this," Langley said. "For some of them, I think it's their whole wardrobe for the winter. Most of them are really excited to be here, in fact one of the bus drivers told me I love doing this trip because the kids are so excited when they get done and they are, they are just bouncing! I always go home with lots of great stories to tell."
Henkel said this project couldn't happen without her amazing volunteers. They care so much.
"They can't be replaced, there's nothing more to say about them than that they are just wonderful ladies," Henkel said.
The students are bussed in to go on the shopping spree. Each student gets a pair of jeans, sweatpants, a winter coat, a sweatshirt, two t-shirts, underwear, socks, a personal care kit, a new pair of shoes, a hat, gloves, and even a new book to read The smiles on the kids faces says it all, and they are so grateful.
Ezekiel left with a big sack of warm things to wear this year.
"I'm grateful because they don't have to do this for us, but they want to because they care about us," he said.
The volunteers with operation school bell are truly making a difference for thousands of kids, and Henkel said there is always room for more people to help.
"We are always looking for more volunteers, always," Henkel said.
The ladies at the Assistance League of Boise will help students from Boise area schools shop for free clothes from now until late November. Funding comes from community donations, grants and proceeds from the thrift shop on Glenwood in Garden City.
For more information on Operation School Bell, or how you can volunteer, click here.