AUSTIN, Texas — "Stuff a Bus" is an annual event that helps the nonprofit For the Children deliver school supplies to students in need. On Saturday morning, four Capital Metro buses parked outside H-E-B locations around Austin, ready for the community to fill with school supplies.
“Through the good-natured community that we have, we are able to do the tremendous work that we're doing,” said David Sanchez, president of For the Children and unit director for H-E-B.
This is the third year for the "Stuff a Bus" event, but the 34th year For the Children has been providing school supplies to kids in Central Texas. Since 1989, For the Children has provided supplies to over 991,000 school kids.
For the Children works with elementary schools in the area to find out how many kids are in need by counting how many are on subsidized lunch programs. Then, Sanchez said, through donations and events like "Stuff a Bus," the organization can set those students up for a successful school year.
“The fact that we're able to help students start on time, that hopefully it will help their education,” Sanchez said. “They'll be able to like school and not be frustrated by the fact that they don't have the supplies that they need and give them a better educational opportunity throughout their learning career.”
Next Saturday is distribution day, when For the Children will bring all the supplies they collected on July 29 to Sanchez Elementary School. Schools in the area will come pick up the supplies, and then teachers will distribute them to their students in need.
Sanchez said it's a big help to teachers as well.
“The teachers don't have to go into their pockets and purchase supplies for the students as well, because a lot of teachers will do that out of their pocket to help their kids,” Sanchez said.
Even though the drive is over, there are still ways to help. From now until August, you can donate online through For the Children or at any of these H-E-B checkouts that are participating in the back-to-school campaign:
- H-E-B Riverside, located at 2508 E. Riverside Dr.
- H-E-B Slaughter and I-35, located at 8801 S. Congress Ave.
- H-E-B Hancock, located at 1000 E. 41st St.
- H-E-B Lakeline, located at 14028 N. U.S. Hwy 183