Volunteers packed more than 30,000 supplies for distribution in January.
Last week,110 United Way of Summit & Medina volunteers sorted, counted and packed more than 30,000 school supplies for Akron Public Schools students as part of its Stuff the Bus Recharge event. The more than 1,000 bags of supplies will be distributed to students in January, helping them start the remainder of the school year with the tools they need to learn.
Being adequately prepared is key to success in the classroom, yet for families struggling to make ends meet, school supplies can represent a serious financial burden. By the time they return from winter break, many students have run out of essential materials. And with the increased costs that come with the winter season – heating bills, new coats, etc. – many families struggle to recharge their supply.
The more than 100 volunteers who participated in the five-hour sort-a-thon on November 14 joined hundreds of school supply donors from across the community to support Akron Public Schools through United Way’s Stuff the Bus Recharge drive. Donations included pens, pencils, notebooks, calculators and more.
Lunch for last week’s Stuff the Bus sort-a-thon, as well as a summer sort-a-thon in Medina, was donated by Domino’s Pizza.
GPD and Bridgestone Americas, Inc., worked with United Way to set up on-site volunteer opportunities for their employees, packing 400 bags.
Bags will be distributed through United Way’s Family Resource Centers at Helen Arnold CLC, McEbright CLC and David Hill CLC. United Way’s Family Resource Centers offer safe, welcoming places within schools that connect parents and caregivers to information and referrals to community resources, including basic needs support, health and wellness programs, financial coaching and more.
“Every pencil collected and every bag packed by our volunteers is an investment in our children’s future,” said Jim Mullen, president and CEO of United Way of Summit & Medina. “But it doesn’t end there. We thank all the organizations and individuals who have dedicated themselves to creating a positive difference in, with and for our community. And we call on the many others who care about the future of our young people to work with us at United Way to volunteer, advocate, give and lead in support of our community.”
To learn about future United Way of Summit & Medina volunteer opportunities, visit uwsummitmedina.org/volunteer.