July-August 2026
A quality education starts with the right tools. Yet for many families and teachers in our region, the rising cost of school supplies can be a yearly burden. That’s where Stuff the Bus comes in.
United Way’s Stuff the Bus program provides Itasca area students with backpacks filled with grade-appropriate supplies—helping kids start the school year prepared and confident. Backpacks are distributed before school begins through local schools and nonprofit partners serving school-age children.
With your support, we can remove barriers to learning and ensure every student has what they need to thrive in the classroom and beyond.
Donation Drop-Off & Prep Day
Date: Tuesday, August 25, 2026
Time: Noon to 4 p.m.
Location: Yanmar Arena (1401 NW 3rd Ave., Grand Rapids)
Help us get ready for the big Backpack Packing Party! Volunteers are needed to welcome donors, receive and sort school supply donations, and help organize supplies in preparation for the following day’s event.
This is a great behind-the-scenes opportunity to support students across Itasca County. School supply donations will be accepted during this time—stop by to give or lend a hand!
Backpack Packing Party
Date: Wednesday, August 26, 2026
Time: Noon to 4 p.m.
Location: Yanmar Arena (1401 NW 3rd Ave., Grand Rapids)
Join us for a fun and meaningful afternoon as we help prepare students for a successful school year! Volunteers are needed to assist with accepting and organizing school supply donations, as well as counting, sorting, and filling backpacks for students throughout Itasca County.
All ages are welcome—bring your friends, family, or coworkers and make it a team effort! School supply donations will be accepted during the event.
Backpack Pick-Up Day
Date: Thursday, August 27, 2026
Time: Noon to 5 p.m.
Location: Yanmar Arena (1401 NW 3rd Ave., Grand Rapids)
Students and families are invited to stop by and pick up their backpacks filled with school supplies—just in time for the new school year! To receive a backpack, you must preregister here.
Volunteers are needed to help with distribution, greet families, and ensure the day runs smoothly.
School supply donations will also be accepted during this time.
Come be part of this joyful day of community and back-to-school readiness!
Host a Dropbox
Churches, businesses, civic organizations, and community groups are invited to take part by hosting a supply drive. Drives can be physical—collecting new school supplies—or virtual, gathering financial donations that United Way will use to purchase supplies in bulk.
All supply drives, whether physical or virtual, must be registered through United Way. To register, visit volunteer.uwlakes.org or email molly@uwlakes.org with your interest.
Once registered, United Way staff will provide next steps, including a Stuff the Bus Kit with helpful materials and tips for running a successful drive. Additional resources and promotional materials are available in the online Media Center.
Supplies collected through your drive may be brought to any Stuff the Bus event at Yanmar Arena (1401 NW 3rd Ave, Grand Rapids) August 25-27 or delivered directly to United Way of 1000 Lakes by August 24.
Donate Supplies
Starting in mid-July, community members can drop off donations of new, unused school supplies at participating businesses and organizations throughout the region. Click the Drop Location tab for a list of locations.
Don’t have time to shop or assemble care packages? You can still make a difference from home! Shop our Amazon or Target wish lists, and your donation can be shipped directly to United Way.
Make a Monetary Gift (INDIVIDUALS/BUSINESSES)
A financial gift is one of the most effective ways to support the drive. Funds raised are used to purchase high-demand supplies and backpacks in bulk, ensuring consistency and cost savings.
Each $25 donation provides a student with a new backpack filled with grade-appropriate supplies tailored to their classroom needs. Contributions can be made online at uwlakes.org/give or mailed to:
United Way of 1000 Lakes
350 NW 1st Ave, Suite A
Grand Rapids, MN 55744
Please include “Stuff the Bus” in the memo line.
VOLUNTEER (INDIVIDUALS/GROUPS)
Volunteers are critical to preparing and delivering backpacks to students. In August, the campaign culminates with a community-wide volunteer push. Between August 25–27, volunteers will sort donations, organize supplies, and assemble backpacks in accordance with each school’s supply list.
Group volunteering is a great fit for:
- Corporate and workplace teams
- Church and service groups
- Youth groups and school clubs
- Families and friends
Volunteering together builds community spirit while helping students start the year prepared. Sign up at uwlakes.org/volunteer or contact United Way to coordinate a group project.
About Stuff the Bus
Stuff the Bus is United Way of 1000 Lakes’ annual back-to-school initiative that provides backpacks filled with grade-specific classroom essentials to children attending schools throughout Bigfork, Cohasset, Coleraine, Deer River, Grand Rapids, Hill City, Warba, and surrounding communities.
The program helps remove financial barriers for local families. Across North Central Minnesota—including Itasca County—43% of households with children are living below the ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) Threshold, meaning many working families struggle to afford the basic cost of living, including back-to-school expenses.
Since 2021, Stuff the Bus has distributed more than 1,425 backpacks, representing an investment of more than $77,910 in local children and families. The initiative is part of United Way of 1000 Lakes’ Ready Kids, Resilient Families strategy, helping remove barriers so children can focus on learning while families gain greater stability.
Learn more about the financial challenges facing Minnesota families in The State of ALICE and Children in Financial Hardship.
Need a Backpack?
Itasca-area students can receive a backpack filled with school supplies from United Way of 1000 Lakes' annual School Supply Drive. Parents, guardians, teachers, and other caring adults may request a backpack for any student who lives in or attends school within United Way of 1000 Lakes’ service area, which includes Deer River (ISD 317), Grand Rapids Area Schools (ISD 318), Greenway (ISD 316), Hill City (ISD 2), and Warba (Northern Lights Community School).
Backpacks are packed with supplies tailored to the student’s grade level.
This program is especially intended to support families who may struggle to cover the basic cost of living—including ALICE (Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, Employed) households. These are working families who earn above the federal poverty level but still can’t afford essentials like housing, childcare, food, transportation, and school supplies.
DROP BOX LOCATIONS
Donations can be dropped off at the following sites during open business hours. A collection box will be placed inside the lobby.
Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union ((2120 SE 2nd Ave, Grand Rapids)
Coldwell Banker Northwoods (812 S Pokegama Ave, Grand Rapids)
Grand Rapids United Methodist Church (1701 SE 5th Ave, Grand Rapids)
Itasca County DFL (809 NE 4th St, Grand Rapids)
Itasca County Family YMCA (400 River Rd, Grand Rapids)
Kiesler Wellness Center (3130 SE 2nd Ave, Grand Rapids)
Klockow Brewing Company (36 SE 10th St, Grand Rapids)
Lake Country Power (26039 Bear Ridge Drive, Cohasset)
Members Cooperative Credit Union (18 NW 4th St, Grand Rapids)
Northern Star Co-Op Cenex (105 SE 29th St, Grand Rapids)
Park State Bank (428 NW 4th Ave, Grand Rapids)
Park State Bank (1215 S Pokegama Ave, Grand Rapids)
Paul Bunyan Communications (510 SE 21st St, Grand Rapids)
Rapids Tutoring (350 NW 1st Ave, Grand Rapids)
St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church (501 15th St NW, Grand Rapids)
St. Croix Hospice (350 NW 1st Ave, Ste F, Grand Rapids)
United Way of 1000 Lakes (350 NW 1st Ave, Ste A, Grand Rapids)
Walmart (100 SE 29th St, Grand Rapids)
Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church (2901 US-169, Grand Rapids)
Shopping List
Starting in mid-July, community members can drop off donations of new, unused school supplies at participating businesses and organizations throughout the region. United Way is collecting:
- 1″ 3-ring binders (black, red, green, or blue)
- 3- and 5-subject notebooks
- Backpacks (17″ or larger)
- Dry-erase markers (black, Expo brand preferred)
- Earbuds and headphones
- Felt-tip markers (black, Flair-style)
- Glue sticks
- Graphing calculators (TI-30 preferred)
- Highlighters
- Index cards (4” x 6”)
- Markers (fine-tip and broad-tip)
- Pencil boxes
- Pencils (#2 wooden)
- Pens (blue and black ink)
- Pocket folders (plastic, red, blue, green, and purple preferred; include 3-prong folders)
- Scissors ( 8″ sizes)
- USB Drives
- Watercolor paints (Crayola brand preferred)
SHOP REGISTRIES (IN-PERSON OR ONLINE)
Support the drive by shopping United Way’s curated supply registries at Target and Walmart. Whether you prefer to shop in-store or online, these registries make it easy to select and donate the most-needed items. Purchases can be shipped directly to United Way or dropped off at a local collection site.
MEDIA CENTER
Informational Poster #1: 8.5×11
Informational Poster #2: 11×17
Drop Box Sign 12×18
Decorative School Bus Box Instructions 8.5×11
IN THE NEWS
Help Local Students Start the School Year Strong | July 17, 2025
Stuff the Bus with School Supplies -Live Interview with Baihly Warfield of WDIO The Lift | July 16, 2025
United Way Seeks Host Partners for Annual Stuff the Bus School Supply Drive | June 26, 2025
Stuff the Bus Celebrates Record Support | September 19, 2024