After a disappointing first week, United Way of Cullman officials were not discouraged as the annual Stuff the Bus campaign continues collecting school supplies.

Typically coinciding with Alabama’s annual back-to-school tax free weekend, the event has aimed to collect donated school supplies for students from both the Cullman City and Cullman County school districts. Executive Director Waid Harbison said he believes the organization raised the bar during last year’s event and surpassed its goal of 17,000 donations.

Harbison said this year’s campaign, which began on July 21, has been falling short of those numbers.

On Tuesday, July 25, Harbison said participating businesses such as Walmart Distribution and RWC, who collect donations internally from employees, seemed to be on track to meet last year’s numbers. However, only about half of the anticipated donations have been made at the event’s four public drop-off locations.

Harbison said he is hopeful the current decrease is nothing more than a matter of poor timing due to local would-be contributors trying to avoid increased crowds attending Rock the South over the weekend. He’s now looking for a promising final push from the community in the remaining days of the fundraiser to provide for students in need.

Harbison said the number of local students living in poverty continues to rise. He pointed the 25 percent eligible for free and reduced lunches prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and compares it to the current number of well over 50 percent.

“If these kids aren’t able to afford to buy lunch, they definitely aren’t able to purchase all of the school supplies they need,” Harbison said.

He said the items most needed are among the most basic and essential: packs of looseleaf paper, pens and pencils. He also said, so far, only a small handful of crayons and erasers have been donated.

While the event is scheduled to end on Friday, July 28, Harbison said donations will not be collected until the following Monday in order to provide a few extra days for anyone wishing to contribute.

Donations can be made from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day at the following locations:

• United Way of Cullman County
• East Side Baptist Church
• North Alabama Agriplex
• Cullman County Courthouse.

For more information visit the United Way website at uway.cc.org.