Second Annual “Stuff the Bus” Event Provides School Supplies to Students in Need

August 28th, 2024

Earlier this month, HCPSS’ education foundation, Bright Minds Foundation, partnered with Prepare for Success, WBAL (WBAL-WT, 98 Rock, and WBAL News Radio), and Walmart to host Howard County’s second annual “Stuff the Bus” event to collect school supply donations. Nearly $45,000 in school supplies were donated and organized into backpacks by HCPSS, Bright Mind and Prepare for Success volunteers. Prepare for Success is working with HCPSS schools to deliver the backpacks to more than 4,500 Howard County students in need.

“We are incredibly grateful to our partners and our community for showing up to make this year’s Stuff the Bus campaign such a success. Thanks to their generous donations of time, money and school supplies, more of our students will start school equipped with many of the tools they need to help them learn,” says HCPSS Superintendent William J. Barnes.

“People tend to think of Howard County as a place where students have more access to learning resources than is reality. There are a lot of families struggling to make sure their children have what they need to fully participate in their education,” adds Bright Minds Executive Director Jennifer Van Kirk. “‘Stuff the Bus’ allowed us to come together as a community to support those students and families.”

Howard County was one of five Baltimore-area counties in which Stuff the Bus events were held this year.

Any HCPSS families or students in need of school supplies should contact your school.