It may seem like summer has just started, but the dawn of another school year is approaching.
The first day of school is approaching
The first day of school in Mesa County is August 9 and the annual Stuff the Bus campaign to collect school supplies and cash donations for Mesa County students in need is underway.
What is Stuff the Bus?
The Townsquare Media family of radio stations are partnering with Mesa County Valley School District 51 for the annual Stuff the Bus campaign. A Student Transportation of America bus has been placed inside the Mesa Shopping Center at Clock Court and the public is encouraged to drop bags of school supplies onto the bus. The windows are open so you can throw your donations inside.
We realize there are a lot of people out there who want to help out, but it can be awkward to go out to buy supplies, take a walk to the mall, and then haul all the supplies inside. That’s why we encourage everyone to simply make a secure cash donation online through the D51 Foundation. These cash donations will then be used to purchase specific school supplies that are needed at each school in the district. In 2020, nearly $ 3,000 was raised for school supplies in Mesa County.
Who benefits from Stuff the Bus?
Almost half of the students in District 51 live in households that meet federal income requirements for free or reduced school meals. It just means that there are a lot of students who are going to run out of school supplies. Often, teachers take money out of their own pockets to make sure students have what they need. Stuff the Bus is a huge blessing for teachers and students.
What school supplies are needed?
If you’d rather do the grocery shopping yourself, here’s a list of the school supplies we need.
* # 2 pencils
* colouring pencils
* Markers
* pencils
* notebooks
* notebook paper
* graph paper
* glue stick
* the scissors
* rules
* pocket files
* 3-ring binders
* erasers
We are grateful for our partnerships in the local community that make Stuff the Bus possible, including Grand Valley Pediatrics at Community Hospital, Mesa Mall, Student Transportation of America and, of course, Mesa County Valley School District 51 and the D51 Foundation.
You will find the bus at Clock Court inside the Mesa Shopping Center, and we thank you in advance for anything you can do to help us. The more people we can involve in the Stuff the Bus campaign, the less each person will have to do.
