Beaverton, OR. Assistance League fans are all smiles over their recent fundraising campaign. A week-long online auction and fund drive, launched on March 27th, raised over $48,000. Organizers say they’re still taking donations.
Accustomed to holding a spring fashion show and luncheon, Assistance League of Greater Portland made a successful mid-pandemic pivot with a smart virtual event in 2021 and geared up to do it again with its “No Fooling” theme. Assistance League is working to surpass the $80,000 raised last year and before the event had already raised $21,500 in pledged in matching funds.
The online auction featured shoes signed by the Portland Trail Blazer’s Damien Lillard. The auction also included Portland Thorns’s Emily Menges, a Portland Timbers team signed ball, vacation packages, gift baskets, and more.
The fundraiser was built on last year’s success, and featured videos of local personality Poison Waters (aka Kevin Cook), who as the drag queen has emceed the event for over ten years.
Recently Cook wrote in an email interview, “I feel like I’ve been part of the family forever.” What’s so special about Assistance League? Cook replied, “ I grew up in a very low-income family and know firsthand what it’s like to not have the basics needed to succeed in school. Operation School Bell [Assistance League’s program for disadvantaged kids] is amazing!”
The Assistance League Thrift and Consignment Shop (and its offices) are located at 4000 SW 117th Avenue in Beaverton. The shop is currently open Thursdays and Saturdays, noon to 4 pm.
From Assistance League of Greater Portland:
All donations remain in the local community, helping to fund the organization’s four programs: Operation School Bell® provides new clothes to boost the self-esteem of kids in need; organized activities are offered to youth at Cordero Residential Treatment House; Assault Survivor Kits® provides comfortable, fresh clothing to survivors leaving emergency care; and Assistance League’s newest program, Scholarships in the Trades, provides funds for tools, books, and tuition for students in Portland Community College’s trades programs.
Donations to Assistance League’s No Fooling fundraiser can be made online at https://portland.assistanceleague.org, or by mail.
For more information visit https://portland.assistanceleague.org. Business supporters include O’Donnell Law Firm, LLC, Franz Bakery Foundation, NW Natural, OnPoint Community Credit Union and Albina Co., Inc.
