Effort to send children to school with supplies ramps up

More than 7,170 students across Monterey County who are living in homeless or near homeless conditions, don’t have the basic supplies to succeed in school. A calculator, pens, pencils, notebooks and binders are all basic necessities for success in the classroom, and with your help ‘Stuff the Bus’ will perhaps help these students go to the head of the class.

“This campaign fulfills a critical role. Having access to school supplies helps get students off on the right foot, and provides them with the confidence they need to succeed in school,” said Dr. Nancy Kotowski, Monterey County Superintendent of Schools.

The Monterey County Office of Education and United Way Monterey County are once again spearheading the popular school supply drive to send every child to school fully equipped to succeed.

And you can help, won’t you?

The “Stuff the Bus” kick-off event is on Wednesday, June 24, starting at 11:00 a.m. at the Alisal Family Resource Center, 1441 Del Monte Avenue in Salinas. Participants and sponsors will receive campaign information and “school bus” collection boxes for their places of business.

This year you can ‘text-to-give’! Donors can text “STB15 to 71777” to give — $25 buys a fully stocked backpack!

Monterey County has a large population of students living un-sheltered, that is, in a hotel/motel, temporary shelter, or doubled up in homes. These students are ill prepared to walk into a classroom with necessary supplies to succeed with out efforts such as ‘Stuff the Bus.’

“Students who are homeless face numerous obstacles,” said Katy Castagna, the incoming CEO of United Way Monterey County. “Thanks to our sponsors and the generosity of the community, we are able to prepare them for life-long success in the classroom and our community.”

‘Stuff the Bus’ culminates on August 1, when volunteers will fill backpacks with donated school supplies and deliver them to the homeless liaisons at each school district in Monterey County for distribution.

In addition to United Way and MCOE, ‘Stuff the Bus’ sponsors include: Blach Construction, Central Coast Federal Credit Union, Fidelity Investments, First 5 Monterey County, First Capital Bank, Golden 1 Credit Union, Pierson & Associates, Rabobank, and Wells Fargo Bank.