The Fill the Bus program began July 28 - 29th, in Fort Smith and August 4th - 5th, in NWA.
Walmart, BIC, and the United Way have teamed up to make this the best year yet and Megan Graddy has all of the details of how and when you can help donate items for students in your area.
“Walmart is really happy to be working with BIC and the United Way to contribute to kids going back to school in our community,” said Scott Bayler, Vice President of School and Office Supplies at Walmart.
“We’ve been involved in it for the past three years, it’s a tremendous program, it gives us the opportunity to give back to the community and as a stationary supplier that we are it really feels right in the sweet spot for us,” said Josh Saffran, Director of Sales for BIC.
So when can the community donate?
“It will be going on from 9am- 5pm will be the primary times to come and do those donations, this weekend in Fort Smith and on the 4th and 5th here in NWA,” said Bayler.
“There will be buses outside at all of the local Walmart Supercenters and you will see them right out front and please feel free to drop off your buses and donations right outside,” said Saffran.
As parents are shopping for their own kids you can throw a few extra items to donate to the cause…
“Or at the front of the stores they will have a list holder so you can go and select a list out of that list holder from one of them out in your own community and shop that list and donate as you see fit,” said Bayler.
“Pens and pencils and markers and backpacks and crayons and glue sticks… anything is a fantastic donation to give back,” said Saffran.
This year’s theme for back to school shopping…. Own the School Year Like a Hero! And Walmart has some of their own hero’s too!
“You will see them in yellow jackets at the front of the store with capes on and they will help people find those last minute items, find the shortest lines at checkout, open new checkout lines, and so they are there to make this a smooth shopping experience,” said Bayler.
“And so this is a chance for us to donate to the kids give them all of the things that they need to go to school on that first day with the confidence of a super hero,” said Bayler.
“Every student deserves the chance to be successful and have products going into the school year and the kids are the future generations and to have them able to go into school and be ready to rock-n-roll and have a great school year and to be able to be a part of that is fantastic,” said Saffran.