Even in a pandemic, Assistance League finds ways to serve
Photo by Alexandra Romero
DOWNEY – The Assistance League of Downey has been around since 1953. Ten women wanted to put their efforts together and start a philanthropic group. They called themselves The Service League.
In 1955, The Service League was offered to be a part of the Assisteens League of Southern California auxiliary. They were then known as Las Sievas (those who serve) and Las Chicas (young girls). It was not until 1975 Las Sievas was given a full chapter status and became AssistanceLeague of Downey (ASL).
Today ASL is a program in Downey in which high school students from the Downey area volunteer in their community. They believe that providing essential needs and services to those in their community who do not have much support or access, especially families, can thrive with this kind of support.
In the past they have had many different ways of volunteering. Glamour gowns, Operation School Bell, Christmas caroling at Rancho Los Amigos Rehabilitation Center, and volunteering at the local thrift shop, Second Tyme Around Shoppe, are few of the many projects they do.
Alicia Cazares and Allanah Soriano are both seniors attending Warren High School. Alicia will be
attending Yale in the fall of 2021 to study Chemistry in order to fulfill pre-med prerequisites. Allanah will be
attending UCLA in the fall of 2021 to study Sociology and Political Science.
On April 24, the Assisteens had Self Improvement Day, a day dedicated to the volunteers to help them grow and learn from doing new activities. At the event Alicia Cazares, Assisteen and Chairwomen of the Assisteens League, spoke out about what it has been like for them.
“We switched the meetings to Zoom but it has been harder to get people to volunteer,” she said. Alicia also mentioned that their monthly meetings have been moved to zoom discussing upcoming events instead of where their traditional meetings were usually held, Casa De Parley Johnson, also referred to as the chapter house.
She continued to say, “Operation School Bell was done more than once this year, the same events have been continued but modified.”
Though this pandemic has put a hold on people’s schedules, operation school bell, which was only done once a year, was increased due to a higher demand of the community’s need for help this past year.
Stacy Brabant, one of the chairwomen of the Assistance League, has mentioned that the Assistance League has never stopped contributing to their community. To continue serving the community safely they have been social distancing, wearing their masks but reduced volunteer hours.
A new project they came up with to help with the pandemic was delivering shopping carts full of coats, sweaters, socks and blankets to a church near their Second Tyme Around Thrift Shoppe during their food bank service. Those who were in line to receive food were offered the carts for free by the Assisteens League.
At the Self Improvement day event Cathy Godinez, one of the Assistance League Coordinators, shared a new project they are going to be doing, “The Assisteens are going to be making and donating blankets to those who lost a loved one due to COVID-19.”
When a pandemic strikes families do what they can to stay safe and healthy. Assisteens League of Downey has shown their commitment to their city by not leaving those who need help behind. It has been 68 years and ASL has continued to show their dedication to their community.
Assisteen, Allanah Soriano, organized this year’s Self Improvement day event. Juniors and Seniors were at this event from 8am to 1pm, the activities the Assisteens got to do were yoga, bake, paint, and make vision boards. There were special guests to help make the day memorable such as Mr. Plant, art teacher, from Griffiths Middle School, Miss Los Angeles County Jasmin Avalos, and Mayor Claudia M. Frometa.
The Self Improvement Day event started with a message from Mayor Frometa.
“As a world, as a country, as a state, and certainly as a community we have gone through so much, so I just want to really take a moment and pause and really count our blessings because all of us have gone through so much over this past year,” Frometa said.
Miss Los Angeles County Jasmin Avalos and Mayor Claudia M. Frometa (photo by Alexandra Romero)
She continued with her speech and acknowledged the meaning of the day.
“The title of today is Self Improvement day, an opportunity to look at ways we can learn from each other...What you do makes a difference and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”
Mayor Frometa ended her speech with a prayer and thanked everyone for letting her be a part of the experience.
Miss Los Angeles County Jasmin Avalos gave a small speech as well thanking everyone for letting her be a part of the event and also hosted the vision boards activity for the Assisteens. Jasmin will be running for Miss California of 2021.
Luckily the Assisteens League membership is still going strong and there has not been a large decrease of student volunteers. While the Assisteens League is making it possible for their community to thrive by providing services and needs the Assisteens are making time for themselves to thrive as well!
You can visit Downey’s local thrift shop, Second Tyme Around Shoppe, or even make a donation. They are open Tuesdays-Fridays from 12pm-4pm and Saturdays from 9:30am-1:30pm.
Alexandra Romero is a sophomore at Whittier College majoring in business and journalism. She graduated from Warren High School.