The 12th Annual Stuff The Bus event was held at the Target parking lot in Hollister on Aug. 3.
Mary Damm, Treasurer of United Way for San Benito County, said the event yielded about 2,000 backpacks stuffed with school supplies.
The program serves students from TK and kindergarten through high school and stuffs the backpacks with different supplies based on their grades.
“Each backpack gets about seven different items,” Damm said, adding that United Way works with Krystal Lomanto at the County Office of Education.
“She puts a notice out to every school district,” Damm said. “They all know about Stuff the Bus, so they tell us how many we need.”
At the event, students checked in with their school district, then picked out their favorite backpack, which are available in various colors and styles. The United Way also gave out hot dogs and water.
“We have people from Target who were really excited,” said Priya Debary, a manager with the local Target, “and the kids are just excited to get everyone together.”
More than 30 Target employees volunteered, he said. “We not only have volunteers here in Hollister,” Debary said, “we have people from every district from Monterey to Salinas to Marina and Gilroy.”
“There is a good variety of people out here,” he said.
Mai Cruz (left) Krystal Lomanto (middle) and Gwen Baquiran are at the Stuff the Bus. Photo by Adam Bell. 
Volunteers preparing the backpacks at Stuff the Bus. Photo By Adam Bell. 
Mary Damm is putting some school supplies in a backpack. Photo by Adam Bell. 
Mila Nunez and Sandy Nunez are at the Stuff the Bus event. Photo by Adam Bell. 
Karissa Agan is putting some school supplies in a backpack. Photo by Adam Bell. 
Sarah Urango is putting some school supplies in a backpack. Photo by Adam Bell. 
The Stuff the Bus event. Photo by Adam Bell. 
Josiah Benavides at Stuff the Bus. Photo by Adam Bell. 
Larry Barr, Rich Marcus, Phil Fortino, and Mike Sanchez are making hot dogs. Photo by Adam Bell. 
Rotary Club of At the Stuff the Bus event, Rotary Club of Hollister is giving out hot dogs to the kids. Photo by Adam Bell.