Chartered by the National Assistance League in 1954, the original 10 members held meetings in their homes but as the group grew, the original members purchased the property at 100 S Santa Anita Avenue and the former dental offices were remodeled into a community house.
In 1965 the main meeting house was built and the current members enjoy the enlarged space holding the meeting room, a middle house with kitchen and provide space for three senior citizen groups and a visually impaired group to meet weekly.
The small building adjacent to the main house houses the Operation School Bell Program where our volunteers offer a ‘shopping experience’ to underprivileged students in our San Gabriel Valley.
Annually approximately 200 members of Golden Age, Friendship Club and Senior Men use the facility each week. Also every year, over 1000 school children receive clothing, shoes, backpacks, books and hygiene supplies from Operation School Bell.
After years of fundraising events, a thrift store concept evolved as Assistance League of Arcadia’s main source of income to support our community programs. In 1982 members purchased the current building which houses the Bargain Box, our wonderful thrift store at 64 E Live Oak Ave in Arcadia.
Members of Chapter, plus our Las Alas auxiliary of working ladies(certified in 1980), and our Assisteens auxiliary for area teens all volunteer and work side by side making the Bargain Box a truly magical experience for our loyal shoppers. We are totally staffed by volunteers who serve our community with dedication and kindness. All three groups offer the local citizens over 20,000 hours annually in service projects as we fulfill the National Assistance League’s mission of “Transforming Lives and Strengthening Community”.
