The Schuylkill United Way's 12th annual Stuff the Bus program starts today and will continue through July.
Stuff the Bus is an annual school supply drive that provides backpacks filled with supplies for schoolchildren in need.
"You want every kid going to school the first day feeling confident and ready to go," Michelle Halabura, director of community relations at Schuylkill United Way, said.
More than 1,400 backpacks were given to community schoolchildren in the Stuff the Bus effort in 2013.
School supplies needed include backpacks (clear or colored), pens, pencils, erasers, notebooks, binders, folders, rulers, crayons, highlighters, stapler and markers
Items can be dropped inside the Schuylkill United Way Stuff the Bus vans, donated by Newhurst Bus Co., at the Cressona Mall, Fairlane Village mall or Schuylkill Mall.
Donations can also be dropped off at donation bins at each entrance of the Wal-Mart Supercenter, Saint Clair.
Schuylkill United Way and Schuylkill Mall will pair up to host a Stuff the Bus Kids Day on July 15. All families encouraged to attend and bring a school supply item to help "stuff the bus."
"Alvin and the Chipmunks 3: Chipwrecked" will show for free at 9:30 a.m. followed by a free lunch and activities lead by Schuylkill United Way partner agencies, including Schuylkill Women in Crisis, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Avenues, Pottsville Salvation Army and Schuylkill County Society for Crippled Children.
McCann School of Business & Technology will serve snow cones. There will also be free vision screenings from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. by Child Development Inc.
The first 100 attendees will receive a $1-off coupon for the Schuylkill County Fair on Kids Day and the closing Saturday of the fair.
Schuylkill United Way and the Reading Fightin Phils will also pair up for the 2014 Coal Region Night baseball game on July 18.
Aidan and Keegan Moyer, paticipants in the Schuylkill County Society for Crippled Children, will throw the first pitch at First Energy Stadium in Reading for the July 18 game.
Donations made during the first hour of Schuylkill County Idol at the Schuylkill mall on July 1, 8 and 15 will receive free tickets to the baseball game while supplies last. Schuylkill County Idol starts at 6 p.m. each night.
The Schuylkill Mall is also hosting a raffle contest each night of Schuylkill County Idol for those who donate.
Schuylkill United Way partner agencies that will benefit from donations include Avenues, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Boy Scouts of America/Hawk Mountain Council, Girl Scouts in the Heart of PA, Child Development Inc., Schuylkill YMCA, Schuylkill County Society for Crippled Children, the Sexual Assault Resource and Counseling Center, Schuylkill Wellness Services, Schuylkill Women in Crisis, Pottsville Salvation Army, Tamaqua Salvation Army and the Tamaqua YMCA.