CENTRAL TEXAS — The Salvation Army is trying to 'stuff the bus' with school supplies but they need your help.
Tax-free weekend is here and the team at Walmart is fast at work.
From August 6-8, 2021 you can buy school supplies, "It's going to be your pencils, your crayons, your composition books, things that are so hard to find," Tamika Coronado names a few of the popular items.
But not everyone has the means to give their kids the simple tools they need to succeed in the classroom.
The Salvation Army estimates the cost of school supplies for one student, if bargain shopping, will set you back $50.
Major Jim Taylor's been with the Salvation Army for nearly 40 years.
"For a family living in poverty or a family that is completely indigent, that's a big cost for them to absorb," Maj. Taylor explains.
So, the Salvation Army is stepping in, as it's done for decades, through its Stuff the Bus school supply drive.
"We're gonna stuff the bus!" Diana Barrett says, who handles public relations for the Salvation Army.
She is also the go-to bus maker.
"Little bit of paint and elbow grease," Barret says while displaying the big colorful cardboard collection bins. "We just wanted it to be colorful and catch people's eye and you know, the school bus is your friend."
Just drop your donation into the bus and everything donated will stay right here in Central Texas.
And in a pandemic, the need is great.
"I feel very fulfilled," Maj. Taylor says, "knowing that we have made the lives of so many people in our community better."
The team at Walmart in Waco is speeding up the process for all back-to-school shoppers by filling up boxes full of grade-specific materials, so you don't have to go on a scavenger hunt through the aisles.
"We're also part of the community," Coronado says, "So, giving to the Salvation Army is our way of saying 'hey we're here for you.'"
More than 4,500 Walmart stores across the country are taking part, including locations in Bellmead, Waco, Hewitt, Belton, Temple, and Killeen.
Donations will be distributed to local students later this month.
