The annual Stuff the Bus school supply donation event, which is being conducted virtually this year, has been extended to Aug. 31.
Organizers collect donated school supplies or monetary contributions for the school districts to use to purchase the necessary supplies "to ensure the success of all the students in our area," Sarah Fowler, executive director of United Way of the Ouachitas, said.
The committee has been doing the event between 10 to 12 years, Fowler said, noting she didn't start until 2014.
The event switched to a virtual format this year to keep the donors, volunteers and everyone safe due to COVID-19, she said.
"We normally set (up) the buses (for a) one-day event where we have buses from every school district at Walmart locations where we collect school supplies and monetary donations in one entire Saturday," she said.
The United Way is collecting monetary donations on their website and also have a link to a Walmart registry.
"If an individual would rather go online to purchase and donate specific school supplies, those are delivered to our door, and we will be distributing those at the very beginning of September following the entire campaign for August," she said.
United Way is trying to raise $2,500 and, as of Friday, had raised $1,150, according to its website.
"It's overwhelming to see the response of the community to support our young people and more, to ensure their success, especially during a pandemic," Fowler said.
"I know kids and parents alike are anxious for their children to get back to school, back amongst their peers, to socialize and to also garner those friendships along with the educational opportunities that they have and knowing that our community supports that is a great feeling," she said.
Fowler said the committee is taking school supplies such as crayons, markers, glue sticks, pencils, calculators, backpacks, kindergarten mats, lunchboxes, and paper folders.
"Any supplies that a student would potentially need and we know that although some districts do provide some necessary supplies, we also know in the midst of the pandemic, that supplies will not be shared, those supplies will be actually per student," she said.
"We also know that's going to be taxing on districts to also try to meet those needs, which again is where Stuff the Bus comes in to try to help bridge that need between the community in those districts again to ensure the success of our students," Fowler said.
Stuff the Bus was started in other communities years ago to help meet the needs of the students within the community to ensure their success, she said.
"We all can remember what it was like to start school equipped with all of the necessary supplies to be successful, but we also know that not every household has the means to be able to do that," Fowler said.
"Stuff the Bus is really that collaborator within the community and partners with the schools to ensure student success so they start school equipped with the necessary supplies, to be successful, to feel good about themselves and propel their learning experience," she said.
"It's really a great way for the community to come together for the future of our community."
Fowler said Stuff the Bus is a great way to ensure the students start the school year off on the right foot and without having any other additional needs, or issues they have to overcome.
"Kind of a level playing field if we can allow all of our students to be prepared and know they're ready when school starts. It's just a great way to start the year off, and no gift is too small," she said.
"Whether it's one pack of pencils, or it's a $100 contribution, every little bit helps and every little bit matters, because we all know students need school supplies not just in August, but they also need them in December and March and throughout the school year," Fowler said.
"It's a great way to kind of provide back to school supplies that also allows districts to have supplies to (distribute) to their students throughout the remainder of the school year," she said.
To donate money to Stuff the Bus, visit https://ift.tt/2YtPQgm. To buy items from the Stuff the Bus Walmart registry, visit https://ift.tt/3aRdoAr.
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August 24, 2020 at 04:18PM
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Stuff the Bus event extended - Hot Springs Sentinel
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