Valley's Stuff the Bus program provides 1,000 free backpacks
As Valley students prepare for the start of the new school year, many will be receiving a new backpack from Huntington Bank's Stuff the Bus program.
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - As Valley students prepare for the start of the new school year, many will be receiving a new backpack from Huntington Bank's Stuff the Bus program.
Now in its seventh year, the program is an effort to help local families offset the ever rising costs associated with back to school.
"In elementary school, it's about $662 a year to start through the whole year, and about $1,500 dollars when you get to high school. So with the backpack, this little thing that we're doing is the right thing to do because it helps with the cost and helps prepare the kids for the year," said William Shivers of Huntington Bank.
This year the program will distribute nearly a thousand back packs to deserving families in Mahoning, Trumbull, Columbiana and Mercer counties.
United Way, Cocca's Pizza, Great Clips and 21 WFMJ are sponsoring partners for Stuff the Bus.
