The Schuylkill United Way is collecting items for its 20th annual Stuff the Bus school supply drive through July 31.

The program supports families in Schuylkill County by supplying them with backpacks and school supplies for a successful start to the school year.

Individuals are invited to donate items to the drive.

The United Way will distribute backpacks to its partner agencies, school districts and organizations serving county children.

Each backpack will be stuffed with crayons, pencils (donated by Mid-Penn Bank), pens and dry erase markers (donated by Wegmans), erasers, folders, notebooks, colored pencils, glue sticks, pencil pouches, scissors, highlighters, hand sanitizer (donated by St. Luke’s Miners Campus), tissues (donated by Lehigh Valley Health Network) and a miscellaneous item.

Boyer’s Food Markets and Evans Delivery provide financial support.

BG’s Value Market and Beer Shak will be offering icons to their customers for one dollar. The money received will help defray program costs.

In addition, Staples has school supply boxes filled with essentials that can be purchased for $5 in the Cressona store.

The Schuylkill United Way partner agencies that will benefit include American Red Cross, Big Impact Group of Schuylkill County, Boy Scouts of America, Child Development Inc., Nurse-Family Partnership, Pottsville Salvation Army, SARCC, Schuylkill County Society for Crippled Children, Schuylkill YMCA and Schuylkill Hope Center for Victims of Domestic Violence.

The United Way will also help Jerusalem Day Care, Schuylkill Community Action, Schuylkill I.U. 29 and many county school districts.

“There is a great need for school supplies in our community and with this program, we are able to help lessen the financial burden on families who most need our help,” said Becky Woods of the Schuylkill United Way.

School supply drop-off locations include: Ashland Public Library, Boyer’s Food Markets in Ashland, Frackville, Orwigsburg, Pottsville, Schuylkill Haven, Shenandoah; First Citizens Community Bank in Schuylkill Haven and Friedensburg; Hidden River Credit Union in Hometown, Orwigsburg and Pottsville; Mother Bear’s Candy in Schuylkill Haven; Orwigsburg Public Library; Pine Grove Pharmacy; Pottsville Public Library; RWB Autos in Ashland and Schuylkill Haven; Schuylkill Haven Public Library and Schuylkill YMCA.

Businesses conducting internal drives include Amazon, Eastern Schuylkill Democratic Club, Evans Delivery, Frackville Senior Center, Geisingers/St. Luke’s Hospital, Hexcel, Honeywell, Hydro, Lehigh Valley Health Network, MAE-Eitel Inc., Primary Health Network, Providence Place, Republican Herald, Shalmet, St. Luke’s Miners Campus and TE Connectivity.

If you would like to host a donation box at your business, for either an internal drive or as a public drop-off site, contact Christine Johnson at 570-622-6421 or dircomrel@schuylkillunitedway.org.

SUW Staff will deliver and collect the box for you. Information can be found at https://schuylkillunitedway.org/stuff-the-bus/.