United Way NCA’s Stuff the Bus Provides 500 Backpacks for ALICE Families

No Student Should Start School Empty-Handed

More than 70 volunteers packed 500 backpacks Monday, Aug. 17, for United Way of the National Capital Area’s (United Way NCA) 10th annual Stuff the Bus.

The initiative provides backpacks filled with grade-appropriate supplies to students attending United Way NCA Community Schools and other Title I schools in the region.

“Many of our neighbors are being forced every day to make impossible choices, and we see that spilling over into our children,” Jasmine M. Johnson, United Way NCA vice president of marketing and communications, said. “Many families served by Stuff the Bus are ALICE households—meaning they earn above the federal poverty level but still can’t afford the basics, like rent, food, and school supplies.”

ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. In the National Capital Area, more than 700,000 households fall into this group.

“It makes our students feel seen and taken care of. A lot of our kids don’t have backpacks. Let alone sometimes school supplies that come with it,” Aylin Reyes, community school coordinator at Kelly Miller Middle School in Washington, D.C., said. “Thank you so much. This means a lot to us and our students and our families.”

Stuff the Bus aims to bridge the gap to equitable access to education for students throughout Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia.

“I really enjoy doing things that help support children in our communities,” Women United member and volunteer Marie Caputo said.

Individual volunteers joined others representing multiple organizations, including Baird, the City of Alexandria Department of Community and Human Services, M&T Bank, Mortenson Construction, OPEIU Local 2, Stradley Ronon, the Washington Mystics, and West End Wellness Center. WesBanco was the title sponsor for this year’s Stuff the Bus.

“It’s just amazing to see how many backpacks there actually are and how many supplies are being distributed. There’s nothing that replaces something like this being able to help the community in any way we can,” M&T Bank employee and volunteer Thomas Reid said. “No kid should go without school supplies. Every kid deserves a backpack, too, no matter where it comes from.”

Supplies included: 

• 3-inch binders 

• 5-tab dividers 

• 3-hole pocket folders 

• College-ruled notebook paper 

• Composition books 

• Pens (black or blue) 

• Sticky notes 

• Pencils 

• Highlighters 

• Pencil sharpeners 

• Erasers 

• Pencil pouches 

• Colored pencils 

• Earbuds with mics 

• Backpacks 

United Way NCA also teamed up with the Washington Mystics for the team’s “Ready for School” night Aug. 19. Fans brought new school supplies before the game against the Toronto Tempo.
 

“It has helped me a lot because sometimes we run out of materials, especially backpacks,” Hector, a high school senior from Prince George’s County, said. “Some people are scared of saying ‘I need,’ so by offering it, they don’t have to ask. Sometimes we don’t have money to buy things.”
 

Explore how United Way NCA is advancing Youth Opportunity across our region through Stuff the Bus, and support students as they navigate the school year.