MEDIA RELEASE
DATE: September 18, 2024
Hernando Residents Successfully “Stuff the Bus”
Community Comes Together to Support Teachers
Spring Hill, FL – Every summer, United Way of Hernando County places school buses throughout the community at participating Publix and Walmart stores for their annual Stuff the Bus. This education initiative focuses on providing local teachers and their classrooms the tools needed for the new school year. School bus locations are manned with dedicated Hernando teachers and volunteers to collect donated school supplies for Hernando County classrooms.
Over the course of the July 13th Stuff the Bus weekend, teachers from 14 Hernando schools and other community partners volunteered their time and collected over 2,200 lbs. of school supplies to be distributed back to local classrooms. This included over 1,072 boxes of crayons, 546 composition notebooks, and 1,509 glue sticks, and so much more. Returning volunteer and local D.S. Parrott Middle School teacher,
Yamil Figueroa shared, “When I tell you I love my United Way… I’m telling you… I LOVE MY UNITED WAY OF HERNANDO COUNTY!” Ms. Figueroa continued, “The amount of support I received from Stuff the Bus was tremendous! It was absolutely pure joy being able to volunteer one Saturday afternoon in July to receive school supplies for my students and classroom in return. I am a middle school teacher but I am also a mom. I understand finances being tight and that back-to-school shopping anxiety all too well.”
Altogether, volunteers logged 340 hours between collecting donations at Publix, and unloading, sorting, counting, and dividing up the items at The Parent Academy the following week. Additionally, the community collectively raised $6,285 in monetary donations to purchase additional special request items for the dedicated teacher volunteers and their classrooms throughout the 2024-2025 school year.
“As a teacher, I see so many students coming to school without the supplies they need to be successful,” teacher Yamil Figueroa added. “Being able to offer that support for my students and their families is the least I can do! Thank you, United Way for your continuous support to our teachers and the families we serve.”
Studies show that teachers spend an average of $850 of their own money each year on classroom supplies and needs. United Way Executive Director Angie B. Walasek stated, “We have close to 1,400 teachers in our Hernando School system and this is exactly why this event remains a priority for our team. If we can alleviate even the slightest cost burden for a teacher by providing folders, a backpack, or composition notebooks so they can in return provide them to a student who’s in need of the basics, then that is exactly what we’ll continue to do.”
Thank you to United Way’s Partners in Education: Publix Super Markets for continuing to support the needs of local classrooms; Burn Bootcamp of Spring Hill, Dicks Sporting Goods, Walmart Supercenter on US19 and Distribution Center in Brooksville for their donations; Hernando County Transportation for coordinating the pickup and drop off of the school buses to the stores; The Parent Academy for advocating during this year’s event; and to all Hernando County School District teachers, United Way Partner Agencies, community partners, and Hernando County residents for continuing to LIVE UNITED and supporting Hernando’s Annual Stuff the Bus.
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United Way of Hernando County, Inc.:
United Way of Hernando County (UWHC) was established as a 501c3 organization in 1987, and since then has continuously focused on creating partnerships and mobilizing our community to seek sustainable solutions to some of the most pressing local needs. UWHC strategically allocates Community Investment Funds in Health, Education, & Financial Stability programs with proven results and local impact. UWHC works hard to balance the growing demand for basic services such as food, utilities, and rent assistance, with our ongoing commitment to tackling the underlying causes of complex issues. United Way partners with businesses and organizations that share our vision for improving lives through the power of collective impact and working together. Our support for long-term commitments are essential to addressing key social issues, such as helping children, youth, adults & elders, encouraging health and wellness, including physical and emotional care, promoting financial stability and self-sufficiency, and crisis intervention. For more information on how YOU can LIVE UNITED, visit www.UnitedWayHernando.org.