Help ‘Stuff the Bus’ for Cayman’s students
A Hurley’s shopper donates school supplies for last year’s “Stuff the Bus” campaign
(CNS): A Cayman company has kicked off its annual “Stuff the Bus” school-supply drive to help collect items for students returning to classes in August. The goal of the community drive, according to Caribbean Alliance Insurance, which spearheads the initiative, is to stuff a big yellow school bus full of donations such as backpacks, notebooks, crayons, pens and pencils.
The company said in a press release that it recognises how stretched some of Cayman’s schools, teachers and students are and that the funds to provide some of the basic tools are not always available.
All donated supplies will be presented to the Department of Children and Family Services, the Cayman Islands Cancer Society and the Special Needs Foundation for use by children most in need.
“The start of the school year is a time when students need school supplies,” said Aleisha Lalor, the company’s Cayman Islands branch manager. “If we work together as a community, we can greatly reduce the number of local families who have to send their children to school without the tools they need to succeed.”
In 2015, the campaign collected more than 500 items for children across Grand Cayman, and organisers hope to exceed that total this year.
The donation drive will run from 1-20 August. Anyone who wants to purchase and donate supplies can drop them off at boxes located at Hurley’s, Cost-U-Less, Lee’s Office Supplies, Office Supply or the Caribbean Alliance office in Alissta Towers on North Sound Way.
Among the needed supplies are pens and pencils, school scissors, coloured pencils and markers, loose-leaf paper, crayons and glue sticks.
In addition, people can donate new or gently used children’s books of appropriate topics for local kids, or purchase books and school supplies at the various retail stores. The books will be given to school libraries and classrooms to expand their collections.
“This is a great opportunity for the public to give back to our children,” said Lalor. “As corporate citizens we recognise the importance of early education for all children, regardless of their economic status, and Caribbean Alliance is pleased to spearhead this project alongside our local business partners.”
For more information or to organise a mini-collection, email Aleisha Lalor or call her at 949-9744
