Volunteers who spent all day at the event to accept donations.

TIFTON — One of the yellow school buses that take Tift County children to school was used to hold donated school supplies at the Stuff the Bus event at Walmart on Highway 82 on July 28.

Michael Norman, school social worker with Tift County Public Schools, said that this Stuff the Bus was very successful.

“We have been blessed by Tift County being such a giving community and coming out to show support for these kids in need,” Norman said.

He said that the event not only collected much needed supplies, but also raised awareness that there is a need.

Norman said that he has seen the need increase every year.

“We do have families that don’t have school supplies,” he said, adding that teachers supply what they can and refer additional needs to the social workers.

Norman said that they had a great turnout, with people donating bookbags, which are a much needed item, as well as staples like cereal and snacks.

“It’s really remarkable,” he said. “It’s exceeded our expectations. It seems like it gets better and better every year.”

He said that they also received monetary donations, which they will turn into Walmart gift cards, as well as checks which will go into the Tift County Schools Needy Children’s Fund.

Norman said that even if people missed the Stuff the Bus event, they can still donate supplies and funds to Tift County schools.

Other big needs are glue sticks, composition books and 2 inch, 2 & 1/2 inch and 3 inch three ring binders.

He wanted to thank Walmart, which provided the location for the event, as well as Ameris Bank and various restaurants for donating gift cards to give to people who donated: Olive Garden, Buffalo Wild Wings, Chick-Fil-A, Wendy’s and McDonalds.

For more information contact the Board of Education office at (229) 387-2400.

Follow Eve Guevara on Twitter @EveGuevaraTTG.