Assistance League of Tulsa

PROJECT PURPOSE

There is a strong correlation between poverty and academic achievement. Thousands of children in metropolitan Tulsa live in poverty. Being economically vulnerable can hinder a child's ability to learn, to socialize, to fit in with their peers, and to succeed in life. Children and teens struggle with the humbling consequences of attending school wearing inappropriate or ill-fitting clothes. Since 1977 the Assistance League of Tulsa ® (ALT) has worked to remove barriers which may negatively impact a child?s chance to attend school and receive an education. Through Operation School Bell® (OSB), ALT provides school clothes to thousands of young people in twelve different school districts in the metropolitan Tulsa area. Clothes are distributed through four distinct program components. Economically vulnerable children receive uniform shirts and pants, casual tops and bottoms, sweatpants and shirts, coats/jackets, underwear, belts, hygiene kits and two books each. Student eligibility is determined by the number of children receiving a free or reduced lunch in each school. No child is excluded from OSB participation based on his or her race, color, religion, gender, gender identify or expression of sexual orientation, national origin, disability or age.

EVIDENCE

The Annie E. Casey Foundation funded Oklahoma Kids Count reflects that one in five Oklahoma children live in poverty. Oklahoma ranks 45th for child wellbeing. Research readily available on the American Academy of Pediatrics and the CDC websites confirms a strong correlation between poverty and the social determinants of health and there is a direct nexus between poverty and academic achievement. Being economically vulnerable can hinder a child's ability to learn, to socialize, to fit in with their peers, and to succeed in life. ALT?s Operation School Bell works to remove one of the barriers preventing children from attending school.

POPULATION DESCRIPTION

Through its signature program, Operation School Bell, ALT provides clothing to children who are economically disadvantaged. According to publicly available data, 81% of Tulsa Public School students fall within this category. More than a third of the children are Hispanic, a little less than a quarter are African American, approximately 23% of the student body is white and 10% of the children identify as mixed race. OSB eligibility is determined by how many children qualify for a free or reduced lunch. This criterion is also used to determine eligibility for eleven other school districts in the metropolitan Tulsa area. The National Center for Educational Statistics defines eligibility for a free lunch; a student from a household with an income at or below 130 percent of the poverty income threshold. A student from a household with an income between 130 percent and up to 185 percent of the poverty threshold is eligible for reduced price lunch. All of the children served by OSP fall below the 185% poverty threshold. Their vulnerability was compounded during the Pandemic when caregivers were laid off from low income jobs during the "shut down".

PERFORMANCE MEASURING

1. Determining the number of children per school eligible based on the number of children who participate in the free or reduced school lunch program. 2. Ordering and purchasing the appropriate number and size clothes, shoes, jackets, under garments, etc., required to meet the needs of the identified children in each participating school. 3. Distributing the clothes through one of four channels: a. Vendor to school delivery b. Bags of clothes prepared by ALT volunteers c. Direct purchases as local Walmart stores by ALT volunteers and eligible students d. Providing clothes for school clothes closets.

ONGOING INVESTMENT AMOUNT

$

ONGOING INVESTMENT DESCRIPTION

None

ONGOING INVESTMENT REQUIRED

Able to continue operation without additional funding from the State of Oklahoma