The Santa Cruz County Office of Education (Santa Cruz COE) and United Way of Santa Cruz County are pleased to announce the 15th annual Stuff the Bus campaign resulted in record-breaking impact – with about $58,000 raised to provide more than 2,500 backpacks filled with essential school supplies. In addition, over 500 backpacks and other school supplies were donated in-kind from Costco, AT&T, and individual donors.
Stuff the Bus is an annual partnership to provide new backpacks, school supplies and resources to students across Santa Cruz County who are experiencing homelessness and other significant hardships. Throughout the month of July, donors, sponsors and supporters rally to raise funds for the initiative, which are used to purchase backpacks and supplies in bulk. Each donation of $25 funds a new backpack filled with supplies.
In its 15th year, the campaign raised a record-setting $58,000 – significantly exceeding the campaign goal of $45,000 – anchored by the generous support of hundreds of donors and corporate sponsors including Kaiser Permanente, Enterprise Holdings, and Lookout Santa Cruz.
“The energy around Stuff the Bus is incredible every year, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen more enthusiasm and dedication than with this summer’s campaign,” said Dr. Faris Sabbah, Santa Cruz County Superintendent of Schools. “Every backpack that goes into the hands of a student is a signal of our support for their success. I am so deeply grateful to the partners, volunteers, donors and supporters of Stuff the Bus who help us make sure no student has to go back to school this fall without the essentials they need to achieve in the classroom.”
As Santa Cruz County faces escalating housing costs, the importance of support from the Stuff the Bus has come into sharper focus. As of the 2023-24 school year 2,700 Santa Cruz County students were identified as homeless under the McKinney-Vento Act – about 1 out of every 15 students in the TK-12 school system.
The Stuff the Bus campaign culminated in a Stuff-A-Thon held at Kaiser Permanente Arena, in partnership with the Santa Cruz Warriors and UPS. There, 230 volunteers packed backpacks and loaded them onto buses for distribution in a festive atmosphere marking a celebratory anniversary year..
A number of local and state elected officials joined the celebration to present recognitions and resolutions commemorating the 15th year of the campaign, as well as to join the teams of volunteers stuffing the backpacks. State Assemblymember Gail Pellerin, Santa Cruz County Board of Education President Sue Roth, Capitola Vice Mayor Yvette Brooks, and representatives from the offices of California Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas and Santa Cruz County Supervisor Justin Cummings were among those in attendance.
Elaine Johnson, Executive Director of Housing Santa Cruz County, was recognized with the Stuff the Bus Spirit of Giving award for her unwavering dedication, outstanding leadership, and extraordinary commitment to fundraising for the Stuff the Bus.
“As we reflect on the remarkable success of this year’s Stuff the Bus campaign, it’s clear that our community’s commitment to our youth is stronger than ever,” said Keisha Browder, CEO of United Way of Santa Cruz County. “When youth thrive, we all thrive. The overwhelming generosity we’ve witnessed is a testament to the collective belief in the power of education to change lives. Together, we’re ensuring that every student, regardless of their circumstances, has the tools they need to succeed.”
Within a week of the Stuff-A-Thon, the vast majority of backpacks were distributed to local school districts and community partners, providing critical support to students experiencing homelessness and other hardships. Distributions are ongoing, facilitated by Santa Cruz COE Students in Transition Program.
Distributing backpacks involves each of Santa Cruz County’s 10 school districts as well as more than 30 community partner organizations. Families can also reach out directly to receive a backpack directly from the COE. While the bulk of distribution takes place at the start of the school year, the COE maintains a stock of donated backpacks and school supplies to meet emerging needs throughout the year.
To learn more about Stuff the Bus visit unitedwaysc.org/stb. For information about backpack distribution, contact Students in Transition Project Coordinator Erika Cortes at ecortes@santacruzcoe.org 831-466-566.
