Community Rallies to Support Local Students During “Stuff the Bus” School Supply Drive
Our recent Stuff the Bus school supply drive was a big success thanks to all the incredible support from our community, volunteers, and local partners who stepped up to ensure students in need have the necessary tools to start the school year strong.
Held at the Walmart store in Wake Forest, the drive collected hundreds of school essentials, from backpacks and notebooks to crayons, markers, and more—all destined for students across Wake County who face financial hardship. These supplies help ease the burden of families, build self-confidence, and send them to school ready to learn and engage fully. All donations stay local and directly support our community’s children.
Partner Highlights
Walmart Wake Forest played a vital role in the success of this year’s drive, generously hosting the event and donating more than $3,000 in school supplies. Their visible community presence and commitment to local students were critical to our success.
KIX 102 FM amplified awareness of the drive and joined us on site to rally community participation. Their collaboration helped maximize both turnout and impact.
HomeTrust Bank made a notable contribution by donating over 70 fully stocked backpacks through its Heart of HTB volunteer initiative, which supports affordable housing, financial education, homelessness outreach, disaster recovery, and youth programs. In addition to their donation, HomeTrust employees volunteered on site, helping receive and organize supplies. Their combined efforts will help hundreds of local students head back to school prepared and empowered to succeed.
Young Men’s Service League (YMSL) brought energy and heart to the event. This national organization pairs mothers and their teenage sons in service activities throughout high school. With 195+ chapters across 22 states, YMSL has more than 15,000 moms and 16,700 young men dedicated to community service. Their involvement not only helped collect and sort supplies but also embodied YMSL’s mission to develop leadership and life skills in young men preparing them to be compassionate leaders of tomorrow. We are so grateful for their partnership!
Distribution Details
Thanks to this extraordinary team effort, we now have bins full of supplies ready to be sorted by grade level and distributed to students in time for the new school year. For families in need of school supplies, distribution will take place on Friday, August 15 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Salvation Army Community Center, located at 902 Wake Forest Road, Raleigh. Supplies will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Families must bring proof of Wake County residency to receive materials.
Community Collaboration in Action
To every individual, family, business, and volunteer who donated supplies, gave their time, or helped spread the word—thank you. Your compassion and commitment made this drive a true success and provided a powerful reminder of what we can achieve when we work together.
Want to Get Involved?
Didn’t get a chance to participate but still want to help? It’s not too late! We accept donations and volunteers year-round to support students and families.