With just weeks left until the start of school, an annual program wants to be sure children have all they need for the first day of classes.
And they need help from the community to fill more than 2,000 backpacks.
For 13 years, the United Way of Johnson County has hosted the Fast Track program for local school districts. The program collects school supplies to donate to families who otherwise may not be able to afford the items for their child’s first day of school. Families are invited by their school district to receive the supplies, including all families whose children receive free and reduced price lunches.
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“Our goal is to have children ready for the first day of school,” United Way of Johnson County Executive Director Nancy Lohr Plake said.
“We want them to begin school on an equal foot.”
Each child receives a backpack filled with school supplies, including pencils, markers, paper, notebooks, folders and scissors.
The number of children the program helped has remained consistent over the years, she said. Fast Track helped 1,987 kids last year, and officials expect to reach 2,200 this year.
In order to fill all those backpacks, the program needs help from the community.
The annual Stuff the Bus event brings in a large amount of donations, Lohr Plake said. School buses are parked outside three local Walmart locations, and shoppers are asked to stuff the bus with school supplies they can buy inside the store. Monetary donations are also accepted.
The events are Saturday, and volunteers are still needed to stand outside to ask for donations, collect items and load them on the buses.
Between 75 and 88 volunteers are typically needed, and they currently have 48 signed up, she said.
In addition to Stuff the Bus, the United Way accepts donations through boxes set up at different locations around the county. School supplies can also be dropped off at the United Way of Johnson County office, located at 594 Ironwood Drive, Franklin.
If a family has not receive an invitation to one of the giveaways, they should contact their school district superintendent, Lohr Plake said.
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The Fast Track program is seeking school supplies donations and volunteers for the Stuff the Bus event.
When: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday
Where: Walmart, 2125 N. Morton St., Franklin, Walmart, 882 S. State Road 135, Greenwood, and Walmart, 1133 N. Emerson Ave., Greenwood.
What: Backpacks, three-ring binders, composition notebooks, spiral notebooks, loose leaf paper, scissors, ear buds, yellow highlighters, dry erase markers, glue sticks, markers, colored pencils, red ink pens, rulers and large pink erasers.
Needed: Volunteers are needed for the 11:45 to 2 p.m. shift at the State Road 135 and Franklin locations. To volunteer call United Way of Johnson County at 317-736-7840
Donations can also be dropped off at the following locations:
United Way of Johnson County office, 594 Ironwood Drive, Franklin
Baxter YMCA, 7900 Shelby Street, Indianapolis
Boys and Girls Club of Franklin, 101 N. Hurricane St., Franklin
First Merchants Bank, all Johnson County branches
HomeBank, 1472 S. State Road 135, Greenwood
Horizon Bank, all Johnson County branches
Huntington Bank, all Johnson County branches
Johnson County Public Library, all branches
Lake City Bank, 705 S. State Road 135, Greenwood
Mutual Savings Bank, all Johnson County branches
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