For many Forsyth County residents, this week marked the start of school summer vacation, a time for students and teachers to celebrate a few months off from the daily academic grind. 

But for United Way of Forsyth County, this Friday marks the start of their yearly Stuff the Bus School Supply Drive campaign, which raises school supplies for local in-need families each summer.  

According to Melissa Corliss, the director of community impact for United Way of Forsyth County, since the program was started in 2009, almost 277,000 school supply items have been collected by United Way and distributed by The Place of Forsyth County. 

“It helps to make those students ready for the first day of school, so that they go in with the tools they need to be successful for the school year,” Corliss said. 

In a news release on the annual program, Corliss said that in 2017 alone companies and organizations collected more than 47,000 items for United Way. 

They are requesting a number of different specific items including pencils, 12-inch rulers with centimeters, flash drives, 3-ring binders, 2-pocket folders, 3-prong folders with pockets, 3-subject spiral notebooks, 5-subject spiral notebooks, black and blue pens, and book bags. A full list of needed items can be found online at www.unitedwayforsyth.com.

“We accept any basic school supplies, and we make sure that those all get sorted and counted and distributed to the community,” Corliss said. 

The drive will run through July 31, and anyone interested in donating can bring their donations to the United Way of Forsyth County at 240 Elm Street in Cumming, on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information on donating, or how your business or organization can collect supplies, contact the United Way by phone at (770) 781-4110 or by email at melissa@unitedwayforsyth.com.