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When it’s the middle of July and summer finally arrives in all of its glory, it is hard to imagine that fall is just around the corner, bringing with it all the traditional back-to-school activities. Each time I enter a store with their big BACK TO SCHOOL signs, I remember going shopping with my mom to find the perfect book bag, the trapper keeper with the kittens on the cover, and that so important first day of school outfit. A new school year was coming bringing new adventures and endless possibilities.
Starting the school year with your bag packed with school supplies calms the worry about fitting in or feeling left behind. You can focus on learning and growing to enjoy your education experience. Our Stuff the Bus initiative assists students K-12 with essential supplies to alleviate stress on families and help students focus on their studies so they can succeed and thrive in school.
It may seem relatively simple to grab a couple of extra notebooks or a box of crayons and make the donation, but the impact that donation will have on a child’s life is amazing. Our annual drive is now underway with local workplace internal drives as well as public drop-off sites throughout our service area. I look forward to seeing these efforts come together in August when the donations will be collected and volunteers arrive to sort and distribute them to 23 local schools.
Each school determines its own distribution process to ensure the supplies reach students who need them. Supplies will be sorted and distributed on August 10th to the schools. Those in need of supplies should contact their school beginning on August 12th for details regarding distribution. This initiative distributed 56,250 school supplies in August 2021 to nearly 3,500 K - 12 students at 23 local schools.
Do you want to make a difference in a child’s life and help them prepare for school? Please consider donating school supplies at one of our drop-off locations. Or, if you are unable to donate supplies, but would like to contribute financially, you may mail checks to: United Way of SWMN, P.O. Box 41, Marshall, MN 56258. Please note “Stuff the Bus” on the memo line. You may also donate online by visiting www.unitedwayswmn.org/STB. Financial donations are accepted year round for this initiative and allow us to purchase school supplies in bulk at a low cost.
For more information about your local United Way, please visit www.unitedwayswmn.org.
United Way of Southwest Minnesota is an autonomous, local organization working to create lasting change in people’s lives and the communities we serve in Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, Yellow Medicine and portions of Cottonwood, Lac qui Parle, Nobles and Redwood counties of Minnesota.
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