May 30, 2024
BY JOHN BAILEY
The school year has just wrapped up, but the Catawba County United Way (CCUW) wants to get a jump on recruiting collection partners for the annual Stuff the Bus School Supply Drive in July.
Already, a dozen local businesses and organizations have signed up to help collect donations of classroom supplies, but there is always a need for more partners.
This year, the drive will run from June 28 to July 31, and will again benefit all three local public-school districts: Catawba County, Hickory Public and Newton-Conover City Schools.
And while this drive looks to meet immediate needs when students go back to school in August, the CCUW also uses this outreach to address the continuous need of families throughout the school year.
Paper runs out. Crayons get used up. Bookbags need to be replaced.
The bigger the CCUW’s drive is the more supplies the schools can store to meet later needs.
Results from the 2023 School Supply Drive
- Individual items collected 8,600
- Monetary donations (including from Facebook) $4,285.33
- Collection partners/sites 29/34
- Volunteers to sort/count 29 for 43 hours
- Provided a second distribution of supplies in January.
If you’re a local business or organization who would be interested in being a collection partner, or if you’re just willing to put up a poster or help spread the word of the drive through your social media, contact John Bailey at the CCUW (828-327-6851) or email jbailey@ccunitedway.com.
The Catawba County United Way thanks all its current collection partners: West Rock, Peoples Bank, St. Aloysius Catholic Church, Ashure Ministry, Hickory Community Yoga and Wellness, Catawba Valley Healthcare, Shurtape, Century Furniture, Pace at Home, Carolina Containers, Countryside Pet Hospital and The Green Room Community Theatre.