UNITED WAY OF PIONEER VALLEY Media Release
Contact: Debra Foley
Senior Marketing & Communications Manager
(413) 693-0239
UNITED WAY OF PIONEER VALLEY TEAMS UP WITH PVTA
FOR THIRD ANNUAL STUFF THE BUS PROGRAM
School Supply Drive to Benefit Children in Chicopee, Holyoke, Springfield, Westfield
and West Springfield that are homeless
PIONEER VALLEY, Mass., July 12, 2012 – United Way of Pioneer Valley is announcing a new partner for their annual STUFF the BUS program to collect school supplies. A press conference will be held to launch the third annual Stuff the Bus campaign on Thursday, July 19, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. at the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority’s Holyoke Transportation Center located at 206 Maple Street, Holyoke. The campaign will run July 21 – August 11 and will solicit donations for new school supplies to be distributed to children in Springfield, Chicopee, Holyoke, Westfield and West Springfield that are homeless.
Press Conference Attendee List:
Mary L. MacInnes, PVTA Administrator
Dora D. Robinson, President & CEO of United Way of Pioneer Valley
Dawn Veautour, Customer Service Manager, PVTA
Brandy Lamica, Administration Services Coordinator, PVTA
“Many homeless children in our community facing homelessness don't have the basic things they need to go back to school, and we want to make sure that these students have what they need to get off on the right foot,” said Dora D. Robinson, president and CEO of United Way of Pioneer Valley. “Thanks to the support of our community, last summer we were able to stuff a bus of school supplies for 1,000 children in Springfield, Holyoke and Westfield. We are happy to be able to expand the program this year to include Chicopee and West Springfield.”
UWPV and PVTA will have collection sites in the following locations 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM:
Saturday July 21, 2012 Chicopee, Wal-Mart Parking lot on Memorial Drive
Holyoke Mall, inside in front of Target
Saturday July 28, 2012 Chicopee, Wal-Mart Parking lot on Memorial Drive
Holyoke Mall, inside in front of Target
Saturday, August 4, 2012 Holyoke Mall, inside in front of Target
Saturday, August 11, 2012 Holyoke Mall, inside in front of Target
Donations will also be accepted at PVTA terminals & customer service offices and at www.uwpv.org
“We are pleased to join United Way and partner for this program to help children get the school supplies they need. Many children and children of people who ride PVTA will benefit from this drive,” said Mary L. MacInnes, Administrator of the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority.
This year UWPV has already obtained brand new backpacks and will be collecting new supplies only. Individuals are encouraged to donate the following supplies. Financial contributions are also welcome and will be used to purchase additional backpacks and supplies as needed. Contributions may be made online on the Stuff the Bus link at www.uwpv.org.
Supplies needed for Kindergarten – Grade 12
- #2 pencils with erasers
- Pens
- Crayons
- Highlighters
- Pencil Boxes
- Glue Sticks
- Single-subject notebooks
- Two-Pocket Folders
- Calculators
On Monday, August 27 through Wednesday, August 29, after the buses have been “stuffed,” volunteers from United Way of Pioneer Valley and PVTA will distribute the filled backpacks to the children through McKinney-Vento coordinators within the Springfield, Chicopee, Holyoke, Westfield and West Springfield school districts. These coordinators, established through the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act, work directly the children and families in each school district to assist them to receive the services they need and serve as liaison between the school district, community and service providers.
FOR PHOTO OPS, PLEASE CALL DEB FOLEY AT 413-693-0234 or 413-426-8426 (CELL)
For more information and for drop off locations as they become available, visit the Stuff the Bus page at www.uwpv.org or http://www.pvta.com or call United Way of Pioneer Valley at (413) 737-2691.
About United Way of Pioneer Valley
United Way of Pioneer Valley mobilizes people and resources to strengthen our communities. UWPV targets the community’s most pressing needs and focuses resources, community partnerships and the energy of volunteers to create measurable results. To invest or volunteer or for more information, call United Way of Pioneer Valley at (413) 737-2691 or visit www.uwpv.org.
About the PVTA
The PVTA is the largest regional transit authority in Massachusetts with 174 buses, 144 vans and 24 participating member communities. Additional information about the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority may be found at www.pvta.com or by calling 1-877-779-7882.
###
GIVE. ADVOCATE. VOLUNTEER.
LIVE UNITED®
www.uwpv.org
United Way of Pioneer Valley
184 Mill St., Springfield, MA 01108
Go back to PVTA Home.