Though happy with last year’s record haul of school supplies, “Stuff the Bus” organizers hope to raise the bar and collect even more school supplies for underprivileged students this year.
The 11th annual “Stuff the Bus” school supply drive presented by K-State Credit Union, the Konza United Way and Manhattan Broadcasting Company took place on Saturday. Volunteers from the various partners were out front of the Manhattan Walmart from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. handing out shopping guides and accepting community donations for Manhattan-Ogden USD 383 students.
K-State Credit Union Marketing Assistant Jill Pontow said that though they needed time to quantify and further sort donations, initial counts seem good.
“We’ve had a really good turnout from the Manhattan community, they’re donating a lot, it’s been successful,” said Pontow. “Reports that I’m getting from the people who are counting and sorting stuff on the bus is that this is bigger than last year.”
Last year’s “Stuff the Bus” brought in more than $10,000 in donated school supplies, enough for 250 starter packs that were distributed to students. Lucas Shivers, director of elementary education at USD 383, said this year their goal is 300 starter packs. He said there are a lot of students in USD 383 who struggle to be able to afford necessary school supplies.
“[This] is a great tradition of community generosity to support students in need,” said Shivers. “It’s a great opportunity for the community to meet the need of really giving students the very best things to go learn well.”
Konza United Way CEO Mark Claussen, who has been involved in the event for three years, said the impact Stuff the Bus makes on students in need is “amazing.”
“Not everybody can afford all the supplies that may be needed and its just better for their mental start as much as anything to be able to come into classes with everything that all the other students have,” Claussen said.
Pontow said the drive exemplifies the principles of K-State Credit Union.
“Their foundation is people helping people, so this is a great thing for us to be a part of so we can help the students at USD 383 that need it,” she said. “It’s really a part of what we believe in and our value system.”
Pontow said that anyone who wants to donate, but couldn’t make it out to Walmart on Saturday can still bring donations to any K-State Credit Union branch location.
“They do need them by the end of next week, so if they could bring stuff in Monday through Wednesday next week we’ll take them at the branches and get them to the right place,” said Pontow. “Calculators and Scientific calculators, trapper keepers, backpacks and water color paints were all really needed items.”
