In a few short weeks, kids in the Duluth Public School District will be on school buses for their classes. Although there are some families who might not have everything ready for their kids for the first day of school. However, a few non-profit organizations are looking to lend a hand through a Stuff the Bus event.

In the past few years, the supplies kids need have become more expensive, says Emily Burnside with the Boys and Girls Club of the Northland. Although school drives like Stuff the Bus can be less stressful for families. 

“The school supply lists have changed immensely over the years. So it gets harder and harder to accommodate the changing sphere of education. Drives like this just really take a big burden off of parents,” Burnside said. “When we’re able to hand them a backpack and say, ‘It’s one less thing for you to have to think about this fall,’ they’re so grateful.”

The Stuff the Bus donation ended in Duluth on August 9th. Several youth-serving organizations in Duluth are coordinating where people can pick up necessary supplies. Kelsey Gantzer, with the Duluth Community School Collaborative, says they bring school supplies during open houses at schools for families in need.

“They have their school supply list with them and they’re stressed about getting glue or getting a ruler. We can just say ‘We’ve got it, it’s no worry,'” Gantzer said. “We also go to events like next Monday at Unity in our community down at Bayfront, there’ll be even more supplies.”

More than 250 backpacks have been donated, 240 of them having been donated by Volkswagen of Duluth. The rest of the backpacks and the over 1,200 individual items were donated from others in the Duluth community. The supplies will be distributed by different youth-serving agencies. Sara Niemi, the Head of the Lakes United Way president, says they’re still organizing other school supply drop-offs. Those drop off sites will help kids in the school districts located in Superior, Two Harbors, and Ashland.

“School supplies costs are rising. You know, the burden has been put more on teachers for needing to purchase supplies?” Niemi said. “So hopefully by being able to do things like this, we can lessen some of that burden. Provide families with the things they need to support the teachers and their children.”

For more information about Stuff the Bus Head of the Lakes United Way drop off locations you can read more here. Also for other stories with kids heading back to school you can read more here.