Almost five thousand Addison County children will begin a new school year this August. Soon, school supply lists will be sent out, and families will begin purchasing notebooks, binders, crayons, and pencils for their students.
For some families, shopping for school supplies is a fun end-of-summer event. However, it proves to be a financial burden for too many families in Addison County. According to Vermont’s Early Childhood data for 2022, a family of four needs almost $110,000 annually to meet basic needs.
This year's goal is to purchase and stuff 500 new school supply backpacks! Based on data from the VT Department of Children & Families (DCF), Helping Overcome Poverty’s Effects (HOPE), John Graham Housing and Shelter (JGS), and county teen centers, we know the need for basic necessities exist for all students across Addison County. We hope we can count on you to help kids who need extra support to start the school year on the right foot.
If you have questions about Stuff the Bus or want to help, please email Amy Hoekstra.
Backpack distribution sites
Backpacks will be available at the following locations beginning the week of August 19th. We recommend calling ahead to check the availability of backpacks.
Bristol Hub, Bristol (802-453-3678)
New Haven Community Library, New Haven (802-453-4015)
St. Ambrose Catholic Church, Bristol (802-453-5218)
Vermont DCF, Middlebury (802-388-4660)
Middlebury Union Middle School, Middlebury (802-382-1600)
HOPE, Middlebury (802-388-3608)
CVOEO, Middlebury (802-388-2285)
Porter Medical Center - Pediatric Primary Care, Middlebury (802-388-7959)
G. Stone Motors, Middlebury (888-398-0785)
Stone CDJR, Middlebury (833-277-5985)
United Way of Addison County, Middlebury (802-388-7189)
Boys and Girls Club of Greater Vergennes, Vergennes (802-870-7199)
Vergennes Congregational Church, Vergennes (802-877-2435)
Victory Baptist Church, Vergennes (802-877-3393)
John Graham Shelter, Vergennes (802-877-2677)
