It's not too late to help students in need!

Write-Start Backpack Project, "Stuff the Bus" Event

Recently, the United Way of Santa Cruz County and Santa Cruz County Office of Education hosted the first Write-Start “Stuff the Bus” event. This was the Santa Cruz County Office of Education’s first year partnering with United Way in an effort to encourage community involvement in our annual campaign to provide backpacks and supplies for children whose families cannot provide the needed school materials for them. A low turn-out for the Stuff the Bus event and the very few days left before students return to classes, prompts us to make an urgent appeal to potential donors.

Our goal was to stuff the school bus, generously provided by Michael’s Transportation Services, but only about one third of the bus was filled. Although donations included a total of 56 backpacks, a range of school supplies and a few cash donations, there remain hundreds of students who will enter classrooms without supplies and the essential backpack to transport homework back and forth. Even though, this turnout wasn’t quite what we projected, we are still hopeful donations will continue to come in. Donations can be dropped off during business hours at the Santa Cruz County Office of Education, 400 Encinal Street, Santa Cruz, or at United Way, 1220 41st Avenue #C., Capitola.

The Santa Cruz County Office of Education is appreciative that this is the first of many projects that the United Way is slated to promote through their new partnership with the Volunteer Centers of Santa Cruz County. United Way Volunteer Coordinator Samantha Green stated, “Together we are creating new avenues of community-friendly volunteer opportunities.

The Write-Start Backpack Project is in its 20th year of gathering school supplies and backpacks for school children needing assistance. Since inception in 1989, the Santa Cruz County Office of Education Students in Transition program, local businesses and community contributors have provided over 14,000 backpacks to students throughout Santa Cruz County. In 2008, the outpour of assistance enabled us to distribute over 2,500 backpacks at the beginning of the school year. Our goal this year is to provide 4,000 backpacks in order to ensure each student has some equality of opportunity. The scope of our project is made possible only by the continued support of local businesses, media and community donors.

We cannot meet our goal without the generosity and involvement of the community as a whole. We need your help to help students.

In addition to donations of school supplies, the program also accepts gift certificates and cash donations. For a list of needed supplies and/or to make a cash donation, or learn more about Students in Transition, contact Nohemi Macias, Write-Start Project Coordinator, at (831) 466-5710 or email nmacias@santacruz.k12.ca.us.