Nearly 2,000 elementary students received new winter coats, hats and gloves through a Hinsdale-based nonprofit last school year.

The Assistance League of Chicagoland West, founded in April 1996, marked its 30th anniversary in 2026 with a Village of Hinsdale proclamation on May 1. Village President Greg Hart welcomed the group to Village Hall, saying their volunteer-driven work has supported thousands of families across the region.

The organization now counts 108 members, as first reported by the Chicago Tribune. Three founders remain active: Jan McGivern, Marilyn Krafthefer and Helene Paris.

Their flagship effort, Operation School Bell, partners with 16 school districts and three agencies to provide new winter coats, hats, gloves and shopping days for students on free or reduced lunch or experiencing homelessness. During the 2024-2025 fiscal year, 389 middle schoolers purchased school clothing and 103 homeless high school students participated in a Holiday Shopping Day, according to Hinsdale Magazine.

"Our teachers tell us that [students] wore their coat home, even though it was 60 degrees," president-elect Erin James told Hinsdale Magazine in June. "Sometimes they give you a hug, or they'll look at you, and they'll go, 'I remember you from last year.'"

The numbers behind the work challenge assumptions about an affluent region. In DuPage County, 33% of students qualify for free lunch and 11,273 families live below the poverty line, according to data cited by the organization. Twenty-eight percent of renting households spend more than 30% of their income on rent.

Beyond coats, the group runs a New Start program that equips kitchens for people leaving homelessness. James told Hinsdale Magazine in June that the organization outfitted about 269 kitchens in the most recent year, working with agencies including Catholic Charities, PADS, BEDS Plus and Bridge Communities. Members also read with 585 students through an early literacy program.

The organization operated on a $500,000 budget in its most recent fiscal year, with 86 cents of every dollar going directly into programs, Hinsdale Magazine reported. Members logged 12,500 volunteer hours during the 2024-2025 fiscal year.

Meg Cooper, vice president of donor development, said the group's local focus drives both member commitment and donor support. The primary fundraiser, Books & Brunch, raised $275,000 at its November 2025 event.

All funds raised stay in the local community.

The next Books & Brunch is set for Tuesday, Nov. 10. The luncheon draws more than 500 guests for author conversations, a silent auction, raffles and a book stall. Featured authors are Elizabeth Berg, Kevin Boehm and David Ellis.