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Goodwill Hosts Pack the Bus to Collect School Supplies for SDB Students!
Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois is asking residents and businesses to donate enough school supplies to fill a school bus.
The second annual Cram the Bus event will take place on Friday at Goodwill, 2543 Prairie Ave., Beloit.
Goodwill volunteers will be accepting donations of school supplies from 9 a.m.—6 p.m. that will go directly to students in the School District of Beloit.
“Last year, Goodwill’s Cram the Bus School Supply Donation Drive was very successful,” noted Shannon Harper, Senior Public Relations and Marketing Manager of Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois. “We were thrilled with the outcome. The Beloit community was extremely generous and did indeed ‘cram the bus’ and then some. We had truckloads of school supplies being donated throughout the day.”
“A Goodwill store manager wanted to help the community and utilize the parking lot for a community-wide event,” Harper noted. “After some brainstorming, this is what we decided upon to help the Beloit community.”
The community responded in full force and Goodwill is hoping for another successful event.
“The community was out with full support,” Harper noted. “We had car and truck loads coming through almost nonstop the entire day. It was amazing.”
Beloit School District is looking for any type of school supplies people can provide.
“Honestly, we are in need of anything and everything,” Harper said “ Any kind of school supplies and supplies for every grade are needed. Things like pens and pencils, notebooks, erasers, scissors and other basic supplies.”
More expensive items are crucial for low income families and children. Backpacks and gym shoes are often hard to come by, according to Harper.
Harper said hand sanitizer and tissue boxes also are important products that are needed.
Cash donations will be accepted on location, but physical supplies will be preferred.
There will be music playing and giveaways happening throughout the day.
Big Radio will be on location throughout the day volunteering.
There will be raffles for Brewers tickets, passes to Wisconsin Dells water parks and other summer activities.
“Goodwill employees and Big Radio employees will be on hand helping donors with their donations,” Harper said. “We’ll be taking the supplies directly from the donor to the Beloit school bus so we can “cram the bus.”
Durham School Services will be providing the school bus for the event