Mobile County Public Schools again gave back to the communities it serves through several toy and food drives and other charitable initiatives over the last two months.
The annual Stuff the Bus toy drive netted about 6,200 toys and gifts, collected in two buses from 45 schools, Central Office and the Mobile County Board of School Commissioners over a two-day period in December. The MCPSS Social Services team distributed some of these gifts to needy students within the district. The rest were taken to the Salvation Army, where they were unloaded by LOTC cadets from Burns Middle School for distribution throughout the area.
Stuff the Bus is coordinated by the Office of Communication, with the Transportation Department supplying the buses and drivers to collect the donations. Santa and Mrs. Claus accompanied the buses, greeting students and reading to classes at several schools along the route.
Central Office employees also donated gifts for MCPSS students though the annual Joy of Giving campaign. With departments "adopting" students in need and donating gifts as noted on their wish lists, this initiative made the holidays brighter for 51 students in the district.
Many MCPSS schools held toy drives on their own to benefit students in their own schools and communities. Others held blanket or coat drives to benefit local hospitals.
Central Office and several schools also held food drives in November, in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving. Many of these drives benefitted Feeding the Gulf Coast, which supplies food to needy families throughout the Gulf Coast. Central Office collected 1,142 pounds of food -- more than double its usual collection -- which was enough to provide over 950 meals.