'Stuff The Bus' School Supplies Drive Kicks Off In San Diego County

SAN DIEGO, CA — The annual Stuff the Bus school supplies drive kicked off this week in San Diego County.

The San Diego County Office of Education and San Diego County Credit Union have partnered for the ninth straight year to help students experiencing homelessness. More than 20,000 school-age children in the San Diego region have been identified as experiencing homelessness, according to the Office of Education.

"We know that the struggles for many of our families have increased since the pandemic," said Susie Terry, coordinator of homeless education services at the San Diego County Office of Education.

"This drive allows us to relieve just a portion of their burdens by providing new supplies they need to start school and be ready to learn," Terry said. "We continue to hear from local schools asking for supplies and letting us know how much it means to the families to receive them. We are so grateful for our continued partnership with SDCCU and the impact of Stuff the Bus."

The office and credit union, along with iHeartMedia and Jersey Mike's, aim to collect thousands of dollars in online and in-store donations to purchase pencils, pens, binders, crayons, backpacks and more during the campaign. A portion of donations will also assist San Diego Youth Services in providing meals for homeless youth through its various food programs.

Through July 31, the campaign will collect monetary donations online or in-store at all Jersey Mike's locations in the county.

In 2022, the Stuff the Bus campaign raised more than $100,000 in monetary donations to help purchase more than 8,600 backpacks filled with supplies for students in the county.