Stuff the Bus

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2023 Stuff the Bus results are in!

August 10-13, 2023

United Way of San Luis Obispo County is pleased to announce the donation results of our 2023 Stuff the Bus School Supply Donation Drive. Thanks to 160 volunteers working over 600 hours, and a very generous community, school supplies valued at over $60,000 were contributed (10% more than last year's goal)!

 

Stuff the BusStuff the Bus

 

With 160 volunteers working over 600 combined hours, we collected:

  • 1,300 boxes of crayons
  • 200 backpacks
  • 300 binders
  • 1,000 glue sticks
  • 1,300 spiral notebooks
  • And MUCH MORE!

We would especially like to thank the following sponsors for helping make this year’s event such a huge success:

  • KSBY
  • American General Media
  • Miner’s ACE Hardware
  • Balance Treatment Center (Balance Kids)
  • Altrusa International
  • Madonna Inn
  • French Hospital Medical Center (Dignity Health)
  • Meathead Movers
  • Mechanics Bank
  • SLO Credit Union
  • American Riviera Bank
  • 1st Capital Bank
  • Coastal Pediatric Dentistry (Dr. Forester)
  • Murphy Bank
  • KJB Printing

We love our Stuff the Bus business partners and appreciate their continued support:

  • Cookie Crock in Cambria
  • Staples in Atascadero and SLO
  • Walmart in Paso Robles and Arroyo Grande

Thank you to the following School Districts for use of their buses and bus drivers:

  • Atascadero USD
  • Coast USD
  • Lucia Mar USD
  • Paso Robles Joint USD
  • San Luis Coastal USD

Thank you to our Workplace Collection Sites:

  • 1st Capital Bank
  • American Riviera Bank
  • Coastal Pediatric Dentistry
  • CoastHills Credit Union
  • Edward Jones Investment
  • Fitness Works
  • French Hospital
  • Golden1 Credit Union
  • Lubrizol
  • MAEVE SLO County North
  • Mechanics Bank
  • SLO Credit Union
  • SLO Sheriff’s Office
  • Verizon Wireless
  • Whiz Kids - SLO

 

And a HUGE THANK YOU to the community, all our donors, our 161 volunteers AND everyone who helped us “Stuff the Bus” in any way! We couldn’t have done it without you!

2023 STB Volunteer flyer

 

Click to Download Flyers

STB Flyer 2023STB Flyer 2023

Download a List of Suggested School Supplies

STB Supply List 2023


Click below to donate school supplies online with our partner Roonga.com 

 

Roonga logo


 

UWSLO Donate button

United Way SLO County is proud to announce the launch of our annual Stuff the Bus event - a Back-To-School drive to gather essential backpacks and school supplies to help ensure that all youth in our community start the new school year prepared. 

More than ever, many local students and teachers are in need of the supplies necessary to begin the year successfully. Last year over 4,000 students in need received donated supplies countywide, but there were still over 1,000 students in need of supplies. For the past 14 years we have partnered with many local school districts to get these school supplies to the kids and families who need them most.  That process will continue this year as well. 

Our goal for this school year is to raise $60,000 in donated school supplies and sponsorships.

Thank you for helping us Stuff the Bus!


NRF cost of supplies 2023

 

 

Bus Dates and Times

  • Thursday, August 10, 2023 - 3:00pm-6:00pm (Paso site only)
  • Friday, August 11, 2023 - 10:00am-6:00pm
  • Saturday, August 12, 2023 - 10:00am-6:00pm
  • Sunday, August 13, 2023 - 10:00am-3:00pm

5 Bus Site Locations Countywide

  • Walmart in Arroyo Grande, 1168 W Branch St.
  • Walmart in Paso Robles, 180 Niblick Rd.
  • Staples in SLO, 2950 Broad St.
  • Staples in Atascadero, 815 El Camino Real.
  • Cookie Crock in Cambria, 1240 Knollwood Circle

 

2023 15th Annual Stuff the Bus Sponsorship Opportunities

Download the Sponsorship Packet

2023 Workplace Collection Sites

Download the Workplace Collection Site Toolkit & Packet

The public is encouraged to drop off donated school supplies at our Workplace Collection sites listed below!

  • Dignity Health, French Hospital Medical Center-1911 Johnson Ave, San Luis Obispo
  • Coastal Pediatric Dentistry-620 California Blvd STE G, San Luis Obispo
  • 1st Capital Bank-599 Higuera St STE B, San Luis Obispo - July 24 to August 10th 
  • Mechanics Bank-899 W Grand Ave, Grover Beach 
  • Mechanics Bank-865 Oak Park Blvd, Pismo Beach
  • Whiz Kids SLO-3979 S Higuera Street, San Luis Obispo
  • American Riviera Bank-1085 Higuera St #120, San Luis Obispo
  • SLO Credit Union-1220 Osos St, San Luis Obispo
  • Murphy Bank- 892 Aerovista Pl #110, San Luis Obispo
  • Fitness Works-500 Quintana Road, Morro Bay - July 18th - August 10th
  • Lubrizol Advanced Materials-3115 Propeller Dr,, Paso Robles - July 24th-August 10th
  • Edward Jones Investments-7305 Morro Rd, Suite 202, SLO - July 19th to August 11th
  • Coast Hills Credit Union (All SLO County branches)  7/31/2023-8/11/2023
7315 El Camino Real Atascadero
1402 Spring St Paso Robles
751 Marsh St. San Luis Obispo
1360 E Grand Ave. Arroyo Grande
1580 W Branch St. Arroyo Grande
542 W Tefft St. Nipomo

 


 

Check out these great features from our media sponsor!!

 


Thank you to American General Media for sponsoring our Radio PSAs!

 

 

AGM logo

                  

 

 


THANK YOU TO OUR 2023 STUFF THE BUS SPONSORS!

GOLD LEVEL 

bALANCE KIDS LOGOAltrusa International

 

Miners logo

 


SILVER LEVEL

    Mechanics logo        

SLO Credit UnionFrench Hospital

 

Meatheads logo


BRONZE LEVEL

                                                                  1 capital logo

          Madonna logoMurphy Bank logo                                          Coastal Pediatric Dentistry logo                                                American Riviera Bank

    

                                                                      


Why is this program important?

In 2019, the number of homeless people throughout San Luis Obispo County increased by 32% with at least 10% being children.  In 2020-21, 45% of San Luis Obispo County students were eligible for free/reduced price meals (https://www.ed-data.org/county/san-luis-obispo/).  Research based upon the U.S. Department of Education and the 2013 U.S. Census, reflects 2.5 million children in America-one in every 30 children-go to sleep without a home each year.  

Stuff the Bus helps ease the financial burden placed upon our families, promotes learning, encourages self-esteem and helps kids stay in school. Students who receive backpacks and supplies are those who are considered low income, socioeconomically disadvantaged or homeless — they live in shelters, motels, sheds, garages and other places not originally meant for human habitation.

The impact of homelessness on children, especially young children, is devastating and may lead to changes in brain architecture that can affect learning, emotional self regulation, cognitive skills, and social relationships.  Homeless children are more likely than other children to experience hunger and malnutrition, and to develop physical and mental health problems (2). Emotional distress, developmental delays, and decreased academic achievement are also more common among this population (2). Many of these children and youth experience deep poverty, family instability, and exposure to domestic violence before becoming homeless, and homelessness increases their vulnerability to additional trauma (1, 2). In addition to the risks faced by homeless children, including increased vulnerability to sexual exploitation, youth without homes are far more likely than their peers to be infected with HIV and have other serious health problems (2, 3, 4).

With the support of local partners, volunteers, and members of our community, Stuff the Bus collects supplies such as backpacks, binders, pens/pencils, and notebooks to distribute throughout the county located in five school districts (PRJUSD, AUSD, SLCUSD, LMUSD and Coast USD). 

1.  Bassuk, E. L., et al. (2014). America’s youngest outcasts: A report card on child homelessness. National Center on Family Homelessness. Retrieved from: https://www.air.org/resource/americas-youngest-outcasts-report-card-child-homelessness

2.  American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Community Pediatrics. (2013). Providing care for children and adolescents facing homelessness and housing insecurity. Pediatrics, 131(6), 1206-1210. Retrieved from: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/131/6/1206

3.  Walker, K. (2013). Ending the commercial sexual exploitation of children: A call for multi-system collaboration in California. California Child Welfare Council. Retrieved from: http://youthlaw.org/publication/ending-commercial-sexual-exploitation-of-children-a-call-for-multi-system-collaboration-in-california

4.  California Homeless Youth Project. (2014). HIV and youth homelessness: Housing as health care. Retrieved from: http://cahomelessyouth.library.ca.gov/docs/pdf/HIV&YouthHomelessnessFINAL.pdf

5.  National Center for Homeless Education. (2017). Federal data summary school years 2013-14 to 2015-16: Education for homeless children and youth. Retrieved from: https://nche.ed.gov/pr/data_comp.php