The United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties has begun collecting items for literacy kits. Items will be collected through July 25, 2013. The items will be sorted and literacy kits will be assembled on July 26, 2013, at Embassy Suites in Murfreesboro.

 

Last year’s Stuff the Bus resulted in 11,636 items collected and 500 literacy kits assembled by 73 volunteers. The literacy kits were then distributed to programs in the community that serve at-risk youth. 

To sign up to volunteer for Stuff the Bus, visit United Way’s volunteer website, www.unitedwayvolunteer.org.

 

As one of its four impact areas, United Way is focusing on this educational program in order to provide the students not only with school supplies, but also books and activities promoting literacy. According to the Tennessee Department of Education, 62.7% of third-grade students in Cannon County and 39.7% of third-grade students in Rutherford County have basic or below basic reading proficiency.

 

Items needed to complete the literacy kits include: scissors (Fiskar brand), paper (wide-ruled notebook paper), craft paper or handwriting paper, spiral-bound notebooks with wide ruled notebook paper, crayons (24-count Crayola), pencils (No. 2), markers (Crayola), stickers, glue sticks (Elmer’s), Playdough and gently-used or new books appropriate for children pre-kindergarten to third grade. Items may be delivered to the United Way office located at 615 Memorial Boulevard, Suite 200 in Murfreesboro.

 

Companies that are already participating this year through private donations, in-kind gifts or the placement of collection boxes include:

 

Atmos Energy

Boys & Girls Clubs of Rutherford County

Cedar Grove Elementary Library

Dollar General on Cason Lane

Embassy Suites

Fifth Third Bank

First Community Mortgage

First Tennessee Bank Rutherford County Locations

FirstBank Woodbury and Memorial Boulevard Locations

Ford of Murfreesboro

Holiday Inn Opryland

Ingram

Kohl’s Murfreesboro

Linebaugh Library Locations

MidSouth Bank

Murfreesboro Medical Clinic

Nissan

Reeves-Sain Pharmacy

Rutherford County Government

Standard Register

Target Murfreesboro

Target Smyrna

UPS

Wal-Mart Old Fort Parkway Location  

 

Sponsors for this event include Nissan North America, Inc., Middle Tennessee Medical Center, Publix Super Markets Charities and Regions Bank.