United Way of Mat-Su hosts annual Stuff the Bus event

The stuff has outgrown the bus. 

The United Way of Mat-Su hosted the annual Stuff the Bus event July 29 at Amazing Grace Academy in Palmer. 

It’s a tradition that spans nearly two decades, starting as a simple school supplies drive and evolving into a festival-like atmosphere to help celebrate the back to school season. 

“It started as a true stuff the bus,” United Way of Mat-Su Development and Outreach Director Michele Harmeling said. “We had a bus. We would park it at the downtown Palmer pavilion, and folks were welcome to donate supplies. That would also be where we distributed supplies from.” 

School supplies are still at the heart of the event. But there are now more than a dozen nonprofits and agencies offering services and resources for local families.  

“It just grew and grew,” Harmeling said.  

Harmeling has helped organize the event since she joined United Way of Mat-Su nearly nine years ago. This is the third year Amazing Grace Academy has hosted the event. 

“They’re amazing hosts. Their gym here has that first day of school feel,” Harmeling said. 

Amazing Grace also donates the space for the day. 

“We’re very thankful for that,” she said. 

Harmeling said they expected between 425 and 450 kids to receive school supplies as the first batch of students made their way into the gym with their families. Participating students had to be preregistered, and Mat-Su Borough School District public school and charter school students in grades kindergarten through 12th were eligible to participate. Proof of enrollment was required, and school supplies lists for each grade level of each school were on hand. Once signed in, students and families made their way to the far side of the gym. Students were able to pick out their own brand new backpack, and volunteers helped to make sure each gathered all of the school supplies they needed. 

Kirsten Armstrong, of Big Lake, attended the event for the first time after seeing it advertised on Facebook. 

“I have five kids in school, so it helps families like mine a lot to have all of the school supplies we need,” Armstrong said.  

Armstrong children — ages 5, 9, 10, 12 and 15 — span the elementary, middle and high school. 

“But to also have the resources maybe we didn’t know about is great. It’s a great program,” Armstrong said. 

Once families gathered their school supplies, they could venture throughout the gym to visit the variety of resource booths. Kids Kupboard was also there serving a complimentary lunch to families. 

“This is probably our favorite event of the year,” Harmeling said. “It’s connecting with families, letting them know about United Way of Mat-Su, letting the know about our partners.” 

LINKS Mat-Su Parent Resource Center, Thrive, Youth 360, Alaska Family Services, Mat-Su Health Services and Denali Family Services were among those represented.  

“We’re just making sure that these families understand that all of these agencies and the whole community is there for them,” Harmeling said. 

The Palmer Fire Department brought a fire truck and were offering safety tips. The Palmer Lions Club offered free vision screenings. Style Starts Here Hair Academy offered free hair cuts. 

“We’re just super thankful to everyone who is here,” Harmeling said. 

This is the fifth year that Dawn Fabanich has brought her Style Starts Here Hair Academy Students to the event. 

“The event itself is the reason we come back every year, and the people we meet,” Fabanich said.  

The academy is an apprenticeship program that gives aspiring barbers and hairdressers on the job training. Last year, Fabanich and her students provided 140 free hair cuts, and about 160 the year before. 

“We have enjoyed it immensely to give back to the community,” Fabanich said.  

It’s great experience as well. 

“This is the busiest they are going to be while they are in hair school,” Fabanich said.  

Overall, the response of the kids, she said. 

“The smiles in their faces make it so worthwhile,” Fabanich said. “You cannot beat that when you show them the mirror and you see their fresh hair cut. You know they love it when they smile at themselves in the mirror.” 

Cheryl Phillips, a registered nurse at Mat-Su Health Services, represented her agency during the event.  

“I think it’s a great turnout. It’s wonderful for kids and families,” Phillips said. 

Phillips said her nonprofit agency was on hand to offer information about their resources and back to school vaccines. 

“We’re really trying to promote kids being up to date on vaccines,” Phillips said. 

 

Jeremiah Bartz is the Community Relations Coordinator for the Mat-Su School District.