Back to school time can be stressful for many families. Following summer’s fun in the sun and lazy days by the pool, back to school shopping and preparation can seem like a drag.
But some families dread the back to school check list for a different reason: they just can’t afford it.
Here in Bucks County, 20,000 kids struggle to have their basic needs met. These kids come from families who have trouble making ends meet while putting meals on the table and a roof over their heads. In families like these, back to school supplies are often seen as “extras” – not essentials.
But kids who start school prepared, with the right supplies, tend to have more confidence in the classroom. This leads to more engaged students, a better education and a better life in the long run.
You can help! UW Bucks is hosting our Stuff the Bus school supply drive once again this year. We are looking for donations of brand new school supplies. Our most urgent needs include:
- Backpacks
- Glue sticks
- Scissors
- Marble Composition notebooks
- Markers and crayons
- Three ring binders
- Book covers
A complete list of accepted supplies can be found here: 2014 Donation Wish List
Want to do more? Help us expand our project by starting your own “mini-drive” to get your friends, family and colleagues involved to help kids in our community. All you need to do is spread the word, set a drop off location for donations, and make sure everything gets to UW Bucks by August 20th. Visit www.uwbucks.org/stuffthebus for the resources to get started.
Donations can be dropped off on Tuesday, August 19th or Wednesday, August 20th between 8 AM and 7 PM at either UW Bucks location:
Lower Bucks: 413 Hood Blvd, Fairless Hills PA 19030
Central Bucks: 455 State Road, Doylestown PA 18901
Don’t have time to swing by the store, but still want to help kids start school on the right foot? You can also mail a donation to our Lower Bucks office, with the memo line “Stuff the Bus.”
“Last year, our Stuff the Bus drive distributed 742 backpacks filled with supplies. That’s over $17,000 worth of school supplies and we still didn’t have enough to meet all of the requests,” said CEO Jamie Haddon.
Donations will be distributed to local students by UW Bucks’ partner agencies and through all Bucks County school districts.