Donate school supplies now until July 24 for United Way ‘Stuff the Bus’ initiative

Middle Tennessee State University’s College of Education is partnering with the United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties on its annual “Stuff the Bus” initiative to collect school supplies to support local students. Supplies can be dropped off on campus between now and Wednesday, July 24, at the collection boxes inside the College of Education and Cope Administration Building lobbies. (MTSU graphic illustration by Stephanie Wagner)

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee State University’s College of Education is again partnering with the United Way of South Central Tennessee for the organization’s annual “Stuff the Bus” initiative.

“The College of Education is excited to partner with United Way of South Central Tennessee to collect school supplies for students in our community,” said Robyn Ridgley, associate dean of the college. “As a college, we are committed to ensuring all teachers and students are prepared for the first day of school. Stuff the Bus is one concrete way that we support with this effort.”

The program invites the community to contribute school supplies and monetary donations to provide area students with the materials they need to succeed in the classroom. Supplies can be dropped off on campus between now and Wednesday, July 24, at the collection boxes inside the College of Education and Cope Administration Building lobbies.

Items in highest demand include backpacks, crayons, washable markers, scissors, glue sticks, pencils, colored pencils, spiral notebooks, pencil sharpeners, rulers, Clorox wipes, Kleenex tissues, white board markers, index cards and Sharpie markers.

“The United Way then hosts events to sort supplies into backpacks and ‘stuff the bus’ to make deliveries,” said Kristen Keene, the college’s strategic communications manager. “We want to support the frontline, hands-on, direct support the United Way provides for people here in our own backyard, so a group of us from the college will also volunteer at the sorting events.”

Those interested in joining in on the sorting efforts can learn more at https://www.yourlocaluw.org/stuffthebusrutherford. Monetary gifts can be submitted at https://www.yourlocaluw.org/give, and organizers emphasized that no donation is too small.

Since it first launched in 2012, the initiative has provided over 25,000 local students with school supplies. Current estimates show parents spend about $1,000 per child to cover the costs of these supplies, technology and extracurriculars.

Learn more about upcoming events and initiatives at the College of Education at https://education.mtsu.edu/.

— Stephanie Wagner (Stephanie.Wagner@mtsu.edu)