The school year was kicked off right for hundreds of underprivileged children when the Operation School Bell bus made a visit to their schools, bringing clothes, shoes, backpacks and hygiene items. More importantly, the bus brought hope to an underserved population, many of whom are beneath the poverty line or homeless. The Arizona Diamondbacks, Assistance League of Phoenix and Legacy Foundation teamed up to purchase, wrap, retrofit and stock an old city bus, turning it into a mobile dressing room, complete with private changing rooms, a sewing area to alter clothes and stocks of complete school uniforms, adidas shoes, school supplies, backpacks and basic hygiene items like toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, hairbrushes and the like.
The bus’s first stop at Children First Academy served more than 300 students, who each took home two uniforms, tailored perfectly for each child. The gifts were made possible through a grant from the Arizona Diamondbacks for the bus, and funds from the Assistance League which were matched by The Legacy Foundation, who coordinated the purchase and distribution of the clothes and sundry items.