Community Called to Donate Supplies and/or Funds to Help Children in Need.
Tuesday, Jun 21, 2016
On June 21st, MCOE was proud to partner with United Way Monterey County and Monterey Peninsula Unified to launch Stuff the Bus 2016.
A calculator, pens, pencils, notebooks and binders are all basic necessities for success in the classroom, but for more than 7,100 students across Monterey County living in homeless or near homeless conditions, these essentials are out of reach.
To address that need, United Way Monterey County, Monterey Peninsula Unified School District and the County Office of Education are spearheading the popular backpack drive, Stuff the Bus, to send every child to school fully equipped to succeed.
These families struggle not only to buy school supplies but also to buy uniforms, food and other essentials. That's why places such as the Cabrillo Family Resource Center are essential to children's success in school. Cabrillo serves more than 800 families in MPUSD. Other districts have similar centers and also benefit from Stuff the Bus.
New this year, Stuff the Bus kicked-off with a group of volunteers helping the Cabrillo Family Resource Center move into its new location.
"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.
"Students who are homeless face numerous obstacles," said Katy Castagna, President and 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 is also taking place in San Benito and Santa Cruz Counties.
Donors can text "StuffBus" to 313131 to give -- $20 buys a fully stocked backpack!
Stuff the Bus culminates on August 6, 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.