NORMAL, Ill. (WMBD) — In the Twin Cities, an annual fundraiser for endangered local children and families is returning for its 19th year.
Monday morning, Connect Transit and its other partners kicked off its ‘Stuff the Bus’ fundraiser. The annual drive collects diapers, clothes, and other items for infants to six-year-olds in need.
All donated items go directly to the Children’s Home & Aid crisis nursery that helps house at-risk children and families of domestic abuse.
Children’s Home & Aid program manager Jeannie Higdon said it’s a drive that supplies the nursery for an entire year.
“Every year, we are so humbled by the generosity of our community because again without this event, we wouldn’t be able to provide those things to the families who need us so again I just want to make sure that everybody knows they have our heartfelt gratitude,” Higdon said.
Connect Transit provides the busses. Marketing and events manager Jeff Holtke said their goal this year is to fill two busses of goods in six days.
“Usually by Saturday we are super close together and there’s not a lot of room to move in here which is a good thing; that’s what we want, we want to be able to be sitting on top of each other come Saturday. We got a second bus on standby ready to roll so that our goal is to get people to bring enough donations that we need the second bus,” Holtke said.
Donations will be accepted from 10 am until 8 pm throughout the week.
The bus will be stationed at these locations throughout Bloomington and Normal:
Monday, Nov. 29 Walmart – 300 Greenbriar Dr, Normal
Tuesday, Nov. 30 Walmart – 2225 W. Market St, Bloomington
Wednesday, Dec. 1 Kroger – 1550 E. College Ave, Normal
Thursday, Dec. 2 Kroger – 1550 E. College Ave, Normal
Friday, Dec. 3 Walmart – 2225 W. Market St, Bloomington
Saturday, Dec. 4 Walmart – 300 Greenbriar Dr, Normal
Saturday, Dec. 4 Sam’s Club – 2151 Shepard Rd, Normal (10 AM-6 PM)
Donations will also be accepted at the Children’s Home & Aid office located at 403 S. State St. in Bloomington, and at the Connect Transit office located at 351 Wylie Drive in Normal.
