Stuff the Bus benefits Gainesville, Hall County students

GAINESVILLE - As the economy continues to lag, some parents may have trouble buying school supplies as their children head back to class. That's where United Way's Stuff the Bus program comes in.

The 2010 Stuff the Bus campaign will provide a variety of materials to every school in the Gainesville City and Hall County School systems. United Way Board Chair Carol Burrell, COO of Northeast Georgia Health System, said Monday morning that the response to this year's effort was gratifying.

"Definitely we want to do this next year...hopefully, not because the economy is still bad, but because we enjoy helping our schools," she said.

Tina Santos, the parent coordinator for Enota Elementary School in the Gainesville City System, said that students at her school can definitely use the help.

"I know that we have about 40% of kids that come needy to school," she commented.

Burrell also noted that the boxes of supplies contain items, such as copy paper, that will help teachers as well as students.

Gainesville Schools Superintendent Merriane Dyer and Hall County Schools Superintendent Will Schofield attended this morning's event to accept the donations on behalf of the two school systems.

Also on hand were representatives from Publix, which acted as a donation location for Stuff the Bus, and Cargill, which provided $2000 through its Cargill Cares program to purchase school supplies.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2010/8/231191