.Fill the Bus.

United Way of Northwest Arkansas and Walmart partner to Fill the Bus this Summer

 Program Initiative.

In partnership with Walmart, BIC, Crayola, Coca-Cola and Burrell Behavioral Services. Fill the Bus is an initiative that provides a step out of poverty for children in Northwest Arkansas. Fill the Bus is a school supply drive that supports 15 local school districts across Northwest Arkansas and McDonald County, Missouri. This program supports children in our community by helping them start school with confidence and gives them the literal tools they need to succeed, whether going to school on-site or online. 

NEW THIS YEAR: Fill the Bus is going virtual! We are using the Walmart Registry For Good to allow volunteers to shop contact-free for school supplies online and have them shipped directly to our office. Click the Virtual Supply Drive button below for the registry.  

Fill the Bus Honorary Chairs

  • Scott Bayles – Walmart
  • MiKaela Lemmon BIC USA, Inc. VP Sales/Walmart

36,000+

Fill the Bus raised enough supplies to impact 36,759 students ensuring they had the supplies they needed to start the school year off right.

15 School Districts

Supplies were distributed to 15 school districts in NWA and Southwest Missouri:

Bentonville • Decatur • Farmington • Fayetteville • Gravette • Huntsville • Lincoln • McDonald County • Pea Ridge • Prairie Grove • Rogers • Siloam Springs • Springdale • Kingston • West Fork 

$1.47 million

Last year’s estimated value of supplies donated across all 15 school districts was $1.47 million!

Virtual Supply Drive

Donate Money

This year we are collecting monetary donations and supply donations. Click on the button above to donate today. 

 Host a Corporate Drive.

  • Please list your dates below. We recommend a 10 day window during this time for your drive.

 FAQ.

How can my child get school supplies?

If your child(ren) are in need of school supplies please contact your school nurse and or school counselors.

Where do the supplies go?
Supplies collected from the buses during Fill the Bus weekend will go directly to school districts – distributed by school counselors, nurses and other personnel. Supplies collected through corporate drives will be directed to help rural school districts.
How do I sign up to volunteer?

For 2020, we will not be taking on-site volunteers. We will be collecting school supplies through our Walmart Registry For Good.

 

I can't participate in the actual event, but I would like to host a school supplies drive. How should I do that?

Email Rhonda Bramell at fillthebus@unitedwaynwa.org to request our Fill the Bus toolkit to host a school supply drive at your office.

What stores are participating this year?

This year, we will be collecting school supplies through a Virtual Supply Drive. See information above.

 

 

  • 406 S. Walton Blvd, Bentonville
  • 3919 N. Mall Avenue, Fayetteville
  • 2875 W. Martin Luther King Blvd, Fayetteville
  • 121 Lee Street, Huntsville
  • 4208 Pleasant Crossing Blvd, Rogers
  • 2110 W. Walnut Street, Rogers
  • 2901 Highway 412, Siloam Springs
  • 4870 Elm Springs Road, Springdale
  • 2004 S. Pleasant Street, Springdale
  • 100 Commercial Lane, Pineville, Missouri
Which supplies are most needed?
Older kid supplies! Most people think about crayons and glue for little kids but do not purchase supplies for older students. Backpacks, loose leaf paper, folders with brads, 3 ring binders, highlighters, scissors, hand sanitizer, storage bags, tissues, etc. Lists of needed items will be provided at the Walmart locations during the event.
I'm REALLY passionate about helping kids start school with everything they need. How can I go above and beyond to help out?
Older student supplies! Most people think about crayons and glue for younger children but do not purchase supplies for older students. Backpacks, loose leaf paper, folders with brads, three ring binders, highlighters, scissors, etc.