Lassen Rural Bus (LRB), Lassen County Search and Rescue and Paratransit Services will be kicking off Stuff the Bus for school backpacks and supplies Sunday, July 29 and ends Monday, Aug. 13.

The campaign will not only allow people to donate school items, but non-perishable food to help stock Crossroads Ministries’ food shelf as the summer months can be challenging because the holiday giving season is over, but there are still many who need food and depend on Crossroads.

According to Lassen County Transportation Planner Dan Douglas anyone who donates a school item or food on the bus will ride for free during the event.

The school supplies will be delivered to the superintendent of schools for county-wide distribution to those who need them.

Every year, students are required to provide their own school supplies.

And for those who are unable to, teachers and schools do their best to make sure every student has what they need to succeed.

By stuffing the bus with supplies, it will relieve some of the burden of schools, teachers and students.

Schools can divert funds that would have gone toward supplies to other meaningful activities.

Cash donations will also be collected and money will be used to supplement any shortfall of specific items.

Look for Stuff the Bus collection boxes and jars at participating locations throughout Lassen County. A list of items are available at Stuff the Bus locations and online at lassentransportation.com and lassencountysar.org.

Stuff the Bus for school supplies stems from the 2011 holiday season campaign where LRB, Search and Rescue/Toys for Tots and Paratransit Services worked together for the first annual stuff the bus event.

Collection barrels and jars were placed in Susanville as well as Westwood, Chester, Standish, Litchfield, Janesville, Doyle, Herlong and Milford.

More than 300 pounds of food, six large bagsof toys, two large bags of children’s clothes and cash was collected by LRB alone.

As with the holiday event, local businesses are helping sponsor the school supply campaign.

For more information, call the Lassen Transit Agency at 251-8288 or LRB at 252-7433.