United Way Helps Homeless Children With Annual Stuff the Bus Project

PHILADELPHIA, July 6 UWSEPA-homeless-kids
PHILADELPHIA, July 6 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania wants homeless children in the Greater Philadelphia area to start the school year off with everything they need to succeed. Now in its third year, United Way's Stuff the Bus project works to collect school supplies and deliver them to school-aged children living in homeless shelters throughout the region.

"Advancing the common good involves creating opportunities for a better life for all. By providing these students with the necessary supplies, we can send them to school better prepared to succeed," said President and CEO Jill Michal.

Since its inception in the summer of 2007, United Way's Stuff the Bus project has steadily grown with the help of individual community members, business and labor organizations. The presenting sponsor for United Way's 2009 Stuff the Bus project is the ACE Group.

"ACE has been a proud supporter of United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania for the past eleven years. Through our ongoing commitment to United Way's programs, including serving as presenting sponsor of 'Stuff the Bus,' we're pleased to participate in the effort to help make this region a better place to live and work," said Brian Dowd, Vice Chairman, ACE Group. "Our support to the Philadelphia community has extended beyond financial assistance, to include ACE employees' active participation in United Way's many programs, as well as this year's 'Stuff the Bus' program. We encourage others in the Philadelphia community to join us in the effort to provide students with the tools and supplies they need to start the year on a good note."

With an estimated 10,000 children living in local shelters, United Way is asking the community to LIVE UNITED by donating *new* school supplies. People wishing to donate supplies such as notebooks, pencils, and folders can find a United Way Stuff the Bus donation bin at any of these locations:

United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania
17th and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA

The Bourse
400 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA

The Bourse Food Court & Specialty Shops
111 S. Independence Mall East, Philadelphia, PA 19106

Constitution Place
325 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA

Members of the community can also sponsor a book bag online at www.LIVEUNITEDsepa.org/stuffthebus.

Donations will be collected through July 31st. Volunteers are needed to stuff and deliver book bags to shelters on August 11-13th. To volunteer for Stuff the Bus visit: www.LIVEUNITEDsepa.org/stuffthebus.

United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania
United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania is part of a national network of more than 1,300 locally governed organizations that work to create lasting positive changes in communities and in people's lives. United Way engages the community to identify the underlying causes of the most significant local issues, develops strategies and pulls together financial and human resources to address them, and measure the results. United Way is advancing the common good in southeastern Pennsylvania by focusing on education for children, income for families and health for seniors. For more information about United Way, please visit: www.LIVEUNITEDsepa.org.



SOURCE United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania