With back-to-school fast approaching, United Way and Santa Cruz COE drive forward with community-wide effort to deliver 2,500 backpacks to students in need.

With the first day of school just around the corner, the Stuff the Bus campaign is off to a rolling start. 

Now in its 16th year, this impactful community campaign—led by United Way of Santa Cruz County and the Santa Cruz County Office of Education (Santa Cruz COE)—aims to provide more than 2,500 local students experiencing homelessness and other hardships with brand-new backpacks filled with essential school supplies.

The campaign launched on July 1. With the finish line now in sight, organizers are encouraging residents to hop on board and help meet the $50,000 fundraising goal by the end of the month. Each $30 donation supports one filled backpack, and school supply donations are also being collected at drop-off locations countywide.

“No student in Santa Cruz County should have to start the school year without the supplies they need to succeed,” said Santa Cruz County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Faris Sabbah. “As the cost of living continues to rise, so too do the needs of our students. From homelessness to housing and food insecurity, these challenges are significant—but with our community’s support, we know we can rise to meet them.”

Housing Costs Drive High Need

Santa Cruz County continues to rank as the nation’s least affordable housing market. Those high costs are reflected in local classrooms. During the 2023–24 school year, 2,719 students—roughly one in every 15 in grades TK–12—were identified as experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity. These students are nearly twice as likely to be chronically absent and more than twice as likely to drop out as their housed peers.

Stuff the Bus helps counteract these challenges by ensuring students have the basic tools they need to show up with confidence and stay engaged in learning.

“Stuff the Bus is a clear reflection of United Way’s mission to uplift lives and strengthen our community. In my first year leading this campaign, I’m proud to launch it through our United4Youth and United4Community initiatives, which focus on the well-being of children and families,” said United Way CEO Yvette Brooks. “A backpack is more than school supplies—it’s a step toward a strong start to the school year and a message that every child deserves to thrive. Thank you to our partners for your continued support and belief in that vision.”

The campaign culminates with the Stuff-A-Thon on August 2 at Kaiser Permanente Arena, where teams of volunteers—alongside partners including the Santa Cruz Warriors and UPS—will fill each backpack with donated supplies, preparing them for distribution to students before the start of school.

How to Get Involved

With Stuff the Bus already rolling, campaign organizers are encouraging individuals, families, and businesses to join the effort before the end of July by:

  • Donate: $30 provides one filled backpack.
  • Sponsor: Local businesses, organizations, and philanthropists are invited to join the campaign as a sponsor.
  • Volunteer: Organizations and individuals can sign up to volunteer at the Stuff-A-Thon to help pack the backpacks—and Stuff the Bus! 

To learn more about each of these opportunities, visit unitedwaysc.org/stb.

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