The annual “Stuff the Bus” event, scheduled for August 3, 2024, is set to collect school supplies for students in Okaloosa and Walton counties. The initiative, which helped over 10,000 students across 53 schools last year, will take place at multiple Walmart locations in the area.
- In 2023, the event collected $11,000 worth of supplies, significantly impacting local students’ ability to access necessary school materials.
Marcus Chambers, Superintendent of Okaloosa County School District, expressed gratitude for the program, stating, “Any help that you can give to allow our students to have their own individual supplies would be greatly appreciated.”
The upcoming “Stuff the Bus” event will run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Walmart stores in Crestview, Fort Walton Beach, and Niceville. Cumulus Radio will broadcast live from the sites as community members drop off donations. The event coincides with Florida’s tax-free weekend, encouraging shoppers to add extra school supplies to their carts or make monetary donations.
- The most needed supplies include crayons, colored pencils, washable markers, dry erase markers, folders, backpacks, pencils, glue sticks, notebooks, binders, erasers, and scissors. Specific brand preferences were noted for some items.
For those unable to attend the main event, several local businesses are serving as donation drop-off locations throughout July and early August. These include Beachside Community Church, Ivy and Ale, Fishbein Orthodontics, Emerald Coast Science Center, Bay Area Awards, and multiple branches of the Okaloosa County Teacher’s Federal Credit Union.
Chambers added, “I want to thank the many community sponsors who make a difference in the lives of our students by giving them the much needed supplies that they need each and every day.”
Those wishing to make monetary donations can do so through the Okaloosa County School District’s website, with the option to specify which school should receive the funds.
For a full list of items and location drop-off dates, click here.
