Stuff The Bus Goes Virtual
August 04, 2020
By JESSICA WETZLER
Daily News-Record 8/4/20
For the last 15 years, United Way of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County has been bringing school supplies to area children through its annual Stuff the Bus campaign. But with the COVID-19 pandemic still raging, Stuff the Bus has moved its location.
For 10 days beginning Thursday, United Way will be accepting only monetary donations in place of physical items this year. The fundraiser will also be held online, with donations being accepted through United Way of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County’s website.
“We felt like it would be safer for both volunteers and donors to hold it virtually,” said Laura Toni-Holsinger, executive director of United Way. “We set up a whole platform on our website and 100% of the donations will go toward schools.”
Stuff the Bus was initially started as a combined effort with a local TV station and radio station to collect school supplies for Harrisonburg and Rockingham County schools.
Toni-Holsinger said that while United Way typically looks at students in the free and reduced lunch population, as well as overall student enrollment, donations this year have been divided based on need.
“We will be spending that on what is needed for school readiness,” she said. “The county will use 100% of donations for school supplies, while the city is mixed.”
United Way’s website identifies several areas of need a donation can support, including individual counseling services, a health appointment for school physical exam, mentoring services or a week of groceries for a family.
Where one person would buy a pack of markers and donate them for Stuff the Bus, Toni- Holsinger said, “If you spend money on markers, make a donation [with that money.]” Another change to the annual fundraiser is how long it will take place.
Typically, the fundraiser is held during the tax-free weekend in August and is held at various Walmart stores. For the virtual Stuff the Bus, Toni-Holsinger said it will last from Thursday to Aug. 16.
“We thought since it was online it would take longer to get people’s attention,” she said. “But the need is still great.”
Toni-Holsinger said most of the items that are donated go toward both a classroom and to an individual, but with there being an inability to share items, she said they are trying to have more physical items to prevent students sharing materials.
“So the need is more,” she said.
Daily News-Record 8/4/20
For the last 15 years, United Way of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County has been bringing school supplies to area children through its annual Stuff the Bus campaign. But with the COVID-19 pandemic still raging, Stuff the Bus has moved its location.
For 10 days beginning Thursday, United Way will be accepting only monetary donations in place of physical items this year. The fundraiser will also be held online, with donations being accepted through United Way of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County’s website.
“We felt like it would be safer for both volunteers and donors to hold it virtually,” said Laura Toni-Holsinger, executive director of United Way. “We set up a whole platform on our website and 100% of the donations will go toward schools.”
Stuff the Bus was initially started as a combined effort with a local TV station and radio station to collect school supplies for Harrisonburg and Rockingham County schools.
Toni-Holsinger said that while United Way typically looks at students in the free and reduced lunch population, as well as overall student enrollment, donations this year have been divided based on need.
“We will be spending that on what is needed for school readiness,” she said. “The county will use 100% of donations for school supplies, while the city is mixed.”
United Way’s website identifies several areas of need a donation can support, including individual counseling services, a health appointment for school physical exam, mentoring services or a week of groceries for a family.
Where one person would buy a pack of markers and donate them for Stuff the Bus, Toni- Holsinger said, “If you spend money on markers, make a donation [with that money.]” Another change to the annual fundraiser is how long it will take place.
Typically, the fundraiser is held during the tax-free weekend in August and is held at various Walmart stores. For the virtual Stuff the Bus, Toni-Holsinger said it will last from Thursday to Aug. 16.
“We thought since it was online it would take longer to get people’s attention,” she said. “But the need is still great.”
Toni-Holsinger said most of the items that are donated go toward both a classroom and to an individual, but with there being an inability to share items, she said they are trying to have more physical items to prevent students sharing materials.
“So the need is more,” she said.
