As the back-to-school season approaches, many students and families eagerly prepare for the upcoming academic year. However, for some, the burden of acquiring essential school supplies can pose a significant challenge. MBK teamed up with United Way of Pioneer Valley to help "Stuff the Bus" and bring school supplies to students who are homeless or in need.

Stuff the Bus aims to alleviate the financial strain on families by ensuring that every student has access to the tools they need to succeed in their studies. The event's highlights showcase the remarkable commitment and dedication of the community to supporting education and the future success of students.

Overflowing Generosity

Stuff the Bus, led by team leaders Matt Nash and Chris Soderberg, garnered an overflowing table of physical donations and also raised a significant amount of funds. A total of $375 was collected, which was strategically allocated to purchase 350 items from Staples. This approach ensured that the donated funds were utilized efficiently to obtain a diverse range of school supplies, from notebooks and pens to calculators and backpacks. The list of items was designed to cater to the specific needs of students across different grade levels.

Gratitude in Action: Filling the Gap

Chris and Olivia delivered the collected school supplies to United Way Pioneer Valley (UWPV), on behalf of MBK. The UWPV team expressed their sincere gratitude for the donation, recognizing the significant impact it would have on students' lives as they embark on a new school year.

The fundraiser's success yielded a surplus of donated school supplies beyond what was initially anticipated. Rather than letting these resources go to waste, MBK is committed to help distribute the surplus supplies to schools and families in need, ensuring that the generosity of the community extended far beyond the event itself. Congratulations to Matt, Chris and the entire team at MBK for their efforts to support students in Western Massachusetts.

About United Way of Pioneer Valley's Stuff the Bus:

"Stuff the Bus is our annual program to bring school supplies to students who are homeless. We work with every public school district in Hampden County, South Hadley, and Granby to make sure all youth in need receive a backpack filled with all the supplies they need for the school year. For the upcoming school year, we expect to donate roughly 1400 backpacks holding pencils, paper, pens, art supplies, and more. We are glad to accept donations of school supplies for the backpacks, and they can be provided at these locations":

Main office:
1441 Main Street, Suite 147, Springfield, MA 01103

Chicopee Cupboard:
226 Exchange Street, Chicopee, MA 01013
Tuesdays, 9am-12pm
Wednesdays, 3:30-5:30pm
Thursdays, 11am-1pm

Priority items:

Notebooks, composition books, notebook filler paper, index cards, crayons, erasers, pencil sharpeners, and highlighters.

Other items:

• Colored Pencils

• Crayons

• Markers

• Highlighters

• Glue sticks

• Hand held pencil sharpeners

• Pencil cases

• Composition books

• Three ring binders (1”)

• Loose leaf notebook paper

• Index cards

• Pocket folders

• Spiral Notebooks

• Rulers

• Pencil top erasers