‘Pack the Bus’ school supply drive returns for 4th year

DAVENPORT, Iowa (KWQC) -The “Pack the Bus” program from Genesis Health System is back for its fourth year of collecting school supplies for local students.

In the first three years, the program collected 27,311 school items valued at nearly $47,000 from the public and Genesis employees.

Shirley Gusta, director of the Business Intelligence Center and coordinator of the Genesis volunteer effort, discusses how donations of needed school supplies (scroll down for supply list below) can be dropped off at school buses parked at these locations between August 1-4:

• GMC-East Campus on Monday, August 1 in the parking lot close to Rusholme Street, between the Heart Institute and Edgerton building.
• GMC-West Campus on Tuesday, August 2, in the north side/Central Park Avenue parking lot, near the atrium.
• GMC-Silvis Campus on Wednesday, August 3, in the corner of the main parking lot.
• North Scott Foods in Eldridge on Thursday, August 4.

Collection hours at each location will be between 7:30 a.m. and 3:45 p.m. Social distancing and infection prevention will be practiced at each collection site.

For those that want to help but do not want to shop for supplies, monetary donations through the Genesis Foundation will go toward the purchase of the school supplies needed most. Text PACKTHEBUS to 41444 to make monetary donations.

Supplies are needed for all grade levels and include:

• Highlighters
• Facial Tissues
• Dry Erase Markers
• #2 Pencils & Pencil Boxes
• Crayons
• Bleach Wipes
• Glue Sticks
• Washable Markers
• Hand Sanitizer
• Spiral Notebooks – Wide Lined
• Liquid Glue – Elmer’s
• Scissors
• Colored Pencils
• Art Brushes
• Binders (3-Ring)
• 2-Pocket Folders (Plastic or Paper)
• Individual Pencil Sharpeners
• Ink Pens
• Scotch Tape
• Tabbed Dividers for 3 Ring Binders
• Zip Lock Bags
• Note Cards
• Mechanical Pencils
• AAA Batteries
• Headphones (not earbuds)
• Backpacks (girl/boy/generic)

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