School Supplies Drive Helps Students Experiencing Homelessness
The 2023 Stuff the Bus school supplies drive officially kicks off June 26 as the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) and San Diego County Credit Union (SDCCU) team up for the ninth straight year to help the region’s students who are experiencing homelessness.
More than 20,000 school-age children in San Diego County have been identified as experiencing homelessness. SDCOE and SDCCU – along with iHeartMedia, and Jersey Mike’s – aim to collect thousands of dollars in online and in-store donations to purchase much-needed pencils, pens, binders, crayons, backpacks, and more during the SDCCU Stuff the Bus campaign. A portion of donations will also assist San Diego Youth Services in providing meals for homeless youth through its various food programs.
“We know that the struggles for many of our families have increased since the pandemic,” said Susie Terry, coordinator, Homeless Education Services at the San Diego County Office of Education. “This drive allows us to relieve just a portion of their burdens by providing new supplies they need to start school and be ready to learn. We continue to hear from local schools asking for supplies and letting us know how much it means to the families to receive them. We are so grateful for our continued partnership with SDCCU and the impact of Stuff the Bus!”
The Stuff the Bus campaign will be collecting monetary donations online or in-store at any Jersey Mike’s locations in the county. Donations are welcome in any amount; for example, $20 will cover the cost of a backpack filled with supplies for an elementary-age student, while $25 will cover the cost of a backpack and supplies for a secondary-age student. More information is available at www.sdcoe.net/stuffthebus.
The SDCCU Stuff the Bus campaign, which runs through the end of July, also partners with local iHeartMedia radio stations for special appearances and live interviews . You might hear more about Stuff the Bus on the following stations: Star 94.1, JAM’N 95.7, Channel 93.3, KGB 101.5, ROCK 105.3, KOGO AM 600, San Diego Sports AM 760, and The Patriot AM 1360.
“It’s so important that our students experiencing homelessness are cared for and feel a sense of belonging at school, which is why providing them with school supplies and making sure they are ready to learn is essential,” said Dr. Paul Gothold, San Diego County superintendent of schools. “We are incredibly grateful to members of the San Diego community who have shown their support each year for our students, even though so many of them face challenges themselves. Even the smallest donation during this campaign can make a big impact.”
In 2022, the Stuff the Bus campaign raised more than $100,000 in monetary donations to help purchase more than 8,600 backpacks filled with supplies for San Diego County students.
|
|
|
More to explore
Families in San Diego can get used laptop and desktop computers loaded with educational software for as little as $100 at a drive-thru event Oct. 7 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. at San Marcos Elementary School. The program is organized by SDCOE and Computers 2 Kids.
Nominations are now open for the 2024 Lighthouse Awards, which honor school and community leaders in equity, diversity and inclusion.
The San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) has again been recognized with a Diamond Award for its commitment to promoting sustainable transportation choices.
The Casita Center for Technology, Science and Math in Vista Unified School District and Garfield Elementary School in San Diego Unified School District are among the 33 schools in California recognized as National Blue Ribbon Schools.
The San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) notifies the community of its intent to apply to the California Department of Education for Consortium funding for the 21st Century After School Safety and Enrichment for Teens program (ASSETs).
Through the Everyone A Reader (EAR) volunteer program, parent and community volunteers work one-to-one with 1st-, 2nd-, and 3rd-grade students who need additional reading support. Coordinator training will be held Oct. 17.