Mt. Vernon Register-News

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July 15, 2011

Stuff the Bus effort starts

By TESA CULLI tesa.culli@register-news.com

MT. VERNON — The United Way of South Central Illinois has announced the beginning its 4th Annual Stuff the Bus campaign.

The program provides low-income students throughout the county new school supplies. According to Executive Director Rhonda McCowen, more than 2,600 bags of school supplies were distributed last year.

“Unfortunately, due to the economy this year, we expect that the need will be greater than ever before,” Stuff the Bus Chairperson Debi Richardson stated. “The numbers we have seen so far are up about 29 percent. If that rate continues, we will surpass 3,000 students. In addition to supplies, we need some businesses or persons to step up and donate cash to help us supplement what is missing. Also, we need volunteers the week of Aug. 8 when we actually go through the supplies and prepare them for distribution.”

Collection boxes will be placed at local retailers such as Dollar General, Staples, Big Lots and Wal-Mart, as well as more than 40 other area businesses. The boxes will remain out until Aug. 5, when the boxes will be transported to Times Square Mall to be separated, counted and prepared for distribution to schools.

School supply items most often needed include loose leaf paper, binders, pencils, pencil boxes, three-ring notebooks, glue bottles and sticks, markers, scissors, notebooks, pens, highlighters, crayons, folders, rulers and tissues. All school supplies are accepted and appreciated.

Students who receive supplies are chosen due to qualifying for free or reduced lunches through the school system.

For more information on how to get involved with Stuff the Bus, contact Richardson at 241-8510 or the United Way office at 242-8000. Information is also available online at www.uwsci.org.

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