Stuff the Bus final push
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on August 3, 2017 5:50 AM
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Stuff the Bus
The signature fundraiser by Communities Supporting Schools in Wayne County -- formerly Communities in Schools -- was launched in 2000 and shows no signs of slowing down.
"I'm having more calls than I ever had from parents saying, 'I cannot afford to buy school supplies,'" Selena Bennett, executive director, said this week. "There's an increased need across the county -- not just one or two schools but countywide."
The bright yellow WCPS school bus will pull into the News-Argus parking lot on Berkeley Boulevard late Thursday afternoon as a reminder that the event is taking place. Then on Friday, from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., the public is invited to drop off donations.
"We want a tremendous effort from this community," Mrs. Bennett said. "This is a big, big push.
"What the community can do to help me is tell their neighbors, spread the word through the churches or civic clubs and let them know we need school supplies."
Every single pencil, piece of notebook paper and book bag generated from the drive stays in Wayne County, she pointed out.
"I have had people from other counties, they have contacted me about getting school supplies," she said. "These are not parents, but organizations looking for school supplies.
"We want to help but I can't let this stuff go out of the county because the intended purpose is for Wayne County students."
She said she has been encouraged by the growing number of supporters who have called to let her know they're taking advantage of back-to-school sales and getting their donations together.
"We're going to do some Facebook Live Friday morning to increase publicity efforts, and we're going to continue from the Facebook page to our website, and we'll do the email newsletter as well to all our contacts," she said. "We typically have some good responses from that."
The social media forum is somewhat new to the non-profit, but appears to be a viable option, Mrs. Bennett said.
"I'm using social media like I have never used it before," she said with a laugh.
The agency's address on Facebook is Communities Supporting Schools in Wayne County, while the website is waynecss.org.
The effort will culminate on Friday, but because school supplies are needed throughout the county and all during the school year, the message will be ongoing.
"If they are not in town and don't have time to shop, they can send me a check," Mrs. Bennett said. "We'll take a donation by check, we'll take cash or if they want to organize a school supply drive through any group over the next few weeks, that works.
"Just because they miss the big Friday does not mean they miss the big opportunity because there's always an opportunity to donate school supplies."
The excitement generated by the drive will help make it a success, she said, giving credit to Wayne County residents who have seen the need and stepped up to do their part.
"We appreciate the tremendous effort on the part of the News-Argus to sponsor this event and the community support that surrounds all of this because we could not do this without the community," she said. "This is the most giving and caring community around.
"This community truly cares about the children that are living here and attending school here."