Stuff The Bus Is Overwhelming Success
Needed school supplies are stacked up in front of an Oskaloosa school bus Wednesday as ‘Stuff the Bus’ came to an end. (submitted photo)
Oskaloosa, Iowa – Operation Backpack was started decades ago to help families in need get the supplies needed to send their youngsters back to school. Today, it costs nearly $50.00 to buy the needed school supplies such as paper, crayons and rulers.
Today’s 2nd annual ‘Stuff the Bus’, at the parking lot just north of Hy-Vee, was another extension of that program.
United Way Director Amy Langdon said, “it was a bus load.” The groups don’t have a current tally on the items. “We are really happy with the turn-out.”
The need has risen in the past years, and the United Way of Mahaska County, along with its partners SEIDA and Mahaska County Salvation Army, helped to fill 500 backpacks for students, and the need continues to rise.
Forty-seven boxes were deposited throughout town at various businesses and public stores.
George Daily and some local musicians also got into the act by hosting a ‘Blues for Backpacks’ event at George Daily on Sunday afternoon where 54 people attended and donated an additional 106 items for the project.
Langdon stated that there is never enough supplies. She explained that extra supplies go into a closet at the school, which teachers can access in the event a student has a need.
So now that the items are in and the bus is stuffed, volunteers will now need to stuff the backpacks next week. Volunteers are still needed to help stuff the backpacks with the needed supplies. You can help out by calling the United Way of Mahaska County at 641.673.6043.
