District 300 collecting school supplies for students in need

Community Unit District 300's annual "Stuff the Bus" school supply drive benefiting students in need is Saturday.

This is the district's eighth year hosting the event. Last year, officials collected and distributed 380 backpacks filled with school supplies.

A District 300 bus will be stationed in the parking lot of Wal-Mart, 1410 S. Randall Road in Algonquin, collecting school supplies to support homeless students and students eligible for free and reduced lunch who will attend district schools this fall. Donations will be accepted 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Items sought include: folders, notebooks, loose leaf paper, pencils, pens, scissors, glue sticks, rulers, crayons, colored pencils, markers, and gender neutral backpacks. The donations will then be organized by district officials, placed inside individual backpacks, and distributed to students in need.

"At District 300, we are so grateful for our community's incredible support for the 'Stuff the Bus' event," spokesman Anthony McGinn said. "Every year, our community provides generous donations that equip our students in need with the supplies they require to achieve our central mission: to ensure all students are college or career ready upon graduation."

Donations can be dropped off 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. weekdays at the front desk of the District 300 Central Office, 2550 Harnish Drive, Algonquin. Send donations by check made out to "CUSD 300" by mail to Education Services to the same address. Write "Stuff the Bus" in the check's memo line.