Stuff the Bus program comes to Decatur

United Way collecting supplies for students

— United Way of Northwest Arkansas is planning the first ever Stuff the Bus with School Supplies campaign in Decatur to ensure Decatur students return to the classroom with all the supplies they need to be successful.

“United Way believes that inability to afford school suppliesshould not be an obstacle to a child’s success, and that is why each year we facilitate Stuff the Bus with School Supplies,” said Holly Hill, VP of Community Impact for United Way of Northwest Arkansas.

For a numberof years, United Way has been holding Stuff the Bus campaigns in northwest Arkansas, parking school buses outside of Walmart Stores to be filled with supplies.

This will be the first year United Way will be holding a campaign in Decatur, but it’s not the first year United Way has helped Decatur students withschool supplies, Hill said on June 28th.

There are a number of good programs collecting school supplies in some of the larger towns in northwest Arkansas, so we really wanted to focus on an area that doesn’t have those programs, she said.

Donation boxes shaped like school buses will be placed in the Decatur General Store and the Decatur State Bank from July 7 toJuly 27 to collect supplies. Community members are encouraged to buy an extra pack of pencils, paper, glue, crayons or other supplies to leave in the donation boxes.

United Way has already purchased 300 backpacks to be filledwith supplies and will be supplementing the donations with needed items, according to Hill.

“Our goal is to collect as many school supplies as possible for elementary, junior high and high school students,” she said.

United Way worked closelywith school counselors to determine the need in Decatur and found that at least 300 of the district’s approximate 460 students would need assistance with school supplies. Seventy-six percent of Decatur students qualify for free and reduced lunches, a number which is often used to determine the need within a school district.

Supplies are needed for all levels, but Hill said United Way plansto target items for high school students since they are sometimes left out. Classroom supplies like pencils, paper and 2-inch binders are also needed, Hill said. All the supplies collected in Decatur will be used for Decatur students, she said.

“We know there is a great need. Please help us to ensure every child has the necessary supplies that are needed for them to be successful. Because when a child has the ability to start school with one less obstacle to success, then we all win, and we are Living United,” Sparks said.

News, Pages 1 on 07/07/2010