CCISD to host 10th-annual Stuff the Bus over Tax-Free weekend

Special to the Leader-Press 

It’s become a tradition on Tax-Free Weekend in Copperas Cove, when the community pulls up to Walmart to see a school bus out front.

Copperas Cove ISD, with help from Walmart of Copperas Cove and Star Group-Veterans Helping Veterans, will host the 10th annual Stuff the Bus school supply drive from Aug. 9th-11th.

Annually, the drive collects between $35,000 and $50,000 worth of school supplies which goes directly to CCISD students in need. In 2023, Stuff the Bus collected an estimated $35,000 worth of school supplies.

The need in Cove is great. Of the district’s approximately 8,000 students, 60% of them receive free or reduced-price meals.

“We are grateful to be in a community that is so supportive of our schools and, more importantly, our students,” said Kurtis Quillin, Director of Communications. “This event, and the help from our community partners to make it all possible, helps us ensure that each student in Copperas Cove is able to begin the school year with the supplies they need, so they can focus on learning.”

The community will see a variety of student groups from CCISD volunteering at the event, greeting them, thanking them and loading any donations on to the bus.

Any cash donations are immediately turned into school supplies, which go right on to the bus.

The event will start with a ribbon cutting at 1 p.m. on Aug. 9th and run until 6 p.m. that night. On Saturday, Aug. 10th, the event will run from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and then from 1-5 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 11th.

For anybody wanting to donate who can’t make it to the event, a link for online donations has been set up at CCISD.com.