GARDEN GROVE : Clothing Giveaway Raises Kids’ Smiles

Thursday was an exciting day for 5-year-old Ashley Barthalomy.

With a dollar bill in her pocket from the Tooth Fairy, the kindergartner was beside herself as she moved from rack to rack, lifting a pink sweat shirt, a blue shirt, then a purple jacket.

Excitedly, she grabbed a pair of sneakers in pink, orange and blue.

“It’s so cute,” she smiled, showing two missing front teeth.

Ashley was among 30 children who received free clothes and books from the Assistance League of Garden Grove, which is sponsoring a program that provides free clothing to school-age children from needy families.

Since September, more than 500 children have received the goods, said Ruth Hain, president of the Assistance League, a 125-member all-woman organization that also provides free dental services to children referred by the Garden Grove Unified School District.

“With the bad economy, we’re seeing a lot of children needing help,” Hain said, adding that most of those they serve are from Latino families who just moved into the city.

Sergio Morales, an unemployed carpenter, took his six children to the Assistance League’s Trask Avenue office Thursday to receive free pants, shoes, jackets and books.

“This will help us a lot,” said Morales, 43, who had been receiving assistance from the league for the past two years.

Gordie Barthalomy, Ashley’s father, said he has been out of work for the last two months and could not afford to buy school clothes for his daughter.

“I’m glad there is a program like this,” said Barthalomy, 27, who is separated from his wife. His 4-year-old son, Gordie Jr., was not eligible for the giveaways.

This year, the Beacons, an auxiliary group of the Assistance League, have added books to the items given away to the children.

“We wanted to add something meaningful,” said Beacons member Barbara Barker. Baker added that the group has distributed more than 500 of about 1,100 books collected since September.