United Way and Others Assist Students
Posted on 08/30/2019
(Courtesy Akron.com/West Side Leader)
Akron Public Schools (APS) elementary schools’ students will receive a free backpack full of school supplies thanks to 955 volunteers who participated in United Way of Summit County’s (UWSC) Stuff the Bus drive this year. Officials added that a total of 10,526 students will receive free classroom materials.
Officials stated the distribution of school supplies is a result of individual volunteers and employees of more than 80 companies collecting approximately 367,000 school supply items that included pencils, glue sticks, paper and more in July and August. Volunteers then took part in “sort-a-thons” throughout the community and at participating companies, counting and packing the supplies into backpacks, along with encouraging notes for students. The largest sorting event, with 300 volunteers participating, took place Aug. 21 at the UWSC headquarters at 37 N. High St.
UWSC officials said about 280 volunteers are expected to deliver the backpacks Sept. 4 to students at the 28 APS elementary schools. Volunteer registration to assist in this delivery day is available at uwsummit.org/volunteer.
Officials said the Stuff the Bus effort, sponsored by Steere Enterprises, supports UWSC’s Bold Goals by 2025. This goal aims to ensure students have the tools they need to succeed in the classroom by advancing Bold Goal 1 — to boost third-grade reading proficiency among APS students — and Bold Goal 2 — to increase the number of APS students graduating high school in four years and raise college/career readiness among graduates.
“No child wants to be reminded in their first week of school that they have less than their peers,” said Jim Mullen, president and CEO of UWSC. “Our Stuff the Bus drive serves a dual purpose. First, we make sure students start the school year ready to learn. And second, we show kids that, no matter who they are, there’s a whole community that cares for them and wants them to succeed.”
For more on the UWSC, visit uwsummit.org.