The San Diego County Office of Education and the San Diego County Credit Union announced the launch Wednesday of the fifth annual Stuff the Bus campaign to provide school supplies to local homeless students.
According to the SDCOE, roughly 22,000 school-aged children were homeless throughout the county during the 2017-2018 school year. During last year's campaign, the SDCOE and SDCCU collected more than 230,000 school supplies and more than 6,000 backpacks.
"We know that our families feel supported when they find out that their children will have all of the supplies they need to start the school year ready to learn just like all of their peers," said Susie Terry, a coordinator for the SDCOE's Foster Youth and Homeless Education Services. "The generosity of the community and the deep partnership with SDCCU makes this possible and we are so grateful for every backpack we are able to fill."
During the monthlong campaign, which runs through July 31, two SDCCU buses stop at locations around the county to collect donated school supplies. Residents can also make monetary donations to the campaign at sdcoe.net/stuffthebus2019donations.
According to the SDCOE, a $10 donation funds the purchase of a backpack with supplies for a student in secondary school and $15 covers the cost of a backpack and supplies for an elementary school student.
The two buses will collect donations from all SDCCU locations around the county, multiple Walmart and Mathnasium locations and four SDCOE locations in San Diego, San Marcos and National City. A full schedule of collection locations can be found sdccu.com/promotions/sdccu-stuff-the-bus.
"The San Diego community consistently shows their generosity when it comes to helping students who are in need," said Paul Gothold, the county's superintendent of schools. "As a father and an educator, I know what a difference it makes to be able to start a new school year with a backpack full of supplies. Being ready to learn lays the foundation for a bright future for these children."
