T-R FILE PHOTO - Local and out-of-state volunteers helped unload about 400 school supply kits from the Raytown School District in Missouri earlier this month. Those kits, along with other supplies donated locally and by people from Texas, Wisconsin, Minnesota, as well as from the cities of Davenport and Nevada, will be given to tornado victims and House of Compassion clients. Pick-ups will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and 3-7 p.m. Monday at St. PaulÕs Episcopal Church, 201 E. Church St.

Despite an unexpected delay last week, school supplies are set for distribution to local tornado victims and House of Compassion clients this coming Saturday and Monday.

The distribution will be part of the House of Compassion “Stuff the Bus” program, which provides school supplies and backpacks to kids in need ahead of the school year. The pick-ups will take place 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 201 E. Church St.

“Normally, every year it’s the clients that we serve here at the House of Compassion, but we made a decision to open the doors to the people who were affected by the tornado,” said HoC Director March Runner. “They lost things, so they were having a hard time getting supplies to their children, and all they have to bring is an ID showing that they’re residents of Marshalltown.”

The donated items — pencils, pens, markers, notebooks, glue, scissors and more — have come from donors from inside and far beyond Marshalltown. People from Davenport and Nevada contributed, as did donors from as far away as Minnesota, Wisconsin, Missouri and Texas, Runner said.

“The backpacks program is part of the school supplies — they hand out the backpacks and they’re stuffed with supplies,” she said. “I feel pretty secure that everyone who comes in for assistance will be able to receive the school supplies.”

Both tornado victims and regular HoC clients will be expected to show ID proving they are from Marshalltown. After that, Runner said they will receive school supplies as area students prepare for classes to start Aug. 23.

She said there hasn’t yet been a count of how many supplies have been collected for “Stuff the Bus,” but confirmed the HoC has received over 100 backpacks for the program.

“It is totally volunteer and it’s based on the kindness of the community and surrounding area,” Runner said. “The people are being very generous and very kind.”

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Contact Adam Sodders at (641) 753-6611 or asodders@timesrepublican.com