ap photo Stuff the Bus provides Marshalltown students in need with all the school supplies necessary to be successful in the fall.

The House of Compassion will host the annual Stuff the Bus event in August for the eighth year in a row.

According to March Runner, director of the House of Compassion, the project seeks to help children have what they need to be successful at school.

“The Stuff the Bus is a project run by the House of Compassion with the sole purpose of providing school supplies to low income and homeless children, the population we serve,” Runner said.

The project depends on help from many members of the community.

“Supplies and backpacks come from a variety of resources. First we must thank the generosity of individuals, churches and organizations in Marshall County who donated school supplies and backpacks,” she said. “Additional supplies and backpacks are purchased by staff and volunteers of the House of Compassion using funds donated and funds from grants which were awarded to this project.”

Last year the project served approximately 675 students.

Runner said they work with the schools to figure out what supplies each grade level of students need from preschool to high school. Volunteers prepare packets of supplies based on grade level and each student gets to pick a backpack.

“A thank you also has to go out to HyVee and Walmart who allow us to park a school bus in their respective parking lots where people can drop off school supplies they have purchased in the stores,” she said.

Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church shares its building with volunteers and House of Compassion employees the Friday and Saturday before schools starts to set up supplies for distribution.

This is just another way that Marshalltown residents come together to help those in need.

Runner said many Marshalltown residents depend on the project.

“We start receiving calls in June asking if we are going to have the program each year,” she said.

This project is a recipient of a grant from the Community Foundation of Marshall County.

Planning for the Stuff the Bus event will begin at the end of April.

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Contact Anna Shearer at 641-753-6611 or ashearer@timesrepublican.com.