Pack the Bus helps everyone prepare for the school year

HAMILTON COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF) – Pack the Bus was in full swing this weekend, where volunteers came together to collect school supplies for local students in need.

The goal is to support teachers and families by making sure classrooms are fully stocked, especially during Tennessee’s tax-free weekend.

Shoppers were encouraged to drop off items such as notebooks, pencils, and paper towels.

Brenda Cox, a Hamilton County bus driver, says this effort will make a big difference.

“Well, this stuff right here is gonna help them because a lot of parents can’t buy the stuff that they need, and they don’t go to school with the list that they’re supposed to go with.”

Krissa Barclay with the Hamilton County Schools Foundation says the donations help more than just students.

“So it’s going to be a tremendous help to the kids, the teachers. And it keeps teachers from taking out of their own pocket, because when students don’t have what they need, they take it out of their own pocket to buy it. And anything we can save our teachers from trying, so they can all be ready on day one.”

If you couldn’t make it out this weekend, that’s okay.

There are still other ways to donate. Just visit their website at Hamilton County Schools.