CONTRIBUTED CONTENT — Findlay Subaru St. George is partnering with the Washington County School District Foundation to “Fill the Bus” and help kids in need start the school year on the right foot.
With the help of the community, Findlay Subaru has set a goal to fill a big yellow school bus to the brim with donations of essential items. At-risk students don’t always have access to school supplies at home or while living in motels, shelters, campgrounds or even cars.
“There’s a giant need in Southern Utah,” Findlay Subaru general manager Curtis Whitehead said. “Kids might go hungry on the weekends or may not have the necessities for school.”
The bus will be parked at Findlay Subaru, located at 1453 Sunland Drive in St. George, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Friday and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays. Donations of school supplies, such as backpacks, notebooks, calculators, crayons, pencils, markers and pens, will be accepted along with gift cards to retailers like Walmart and Target.
“We approached the school district asking how we could help,” he added. “Kids need the right tools to succeed in school.”
Findlay Subaru is also seeking items for the Counselor’s Closet, where kids can go to take care of their needs throughout the school day, including clothing, shoes, snacks and hygiene products. Donations are being accepted through Aug. 31, and all donated items will be given directly to the Washington County School District Foundation.
“This is a big deal for us,” said Steven Dunham, director of communications for the Washington County School District. “We have a lot of students that are in significant need.”
More than 40% of Washington County students qualify for free and reduced school lunches, meaning their households are at or below poverty income levels. Over 600 kids are currently homeless or living in an unstable housing situation. The Washington County School District Foundation offers support to at-risk students with a variety of items that are accessible by teachers and counselors to distribute as needed.
“Our goal is to provide a safe environment for these kids and give them a level playing field with their peers in the classroom,” Dunham said. “We want to provide them with opportunities for success.”
And Findlay Subaru wants to help them achieve that goal. “Fill the Bus” is just the first step in an ongoing effort by the dealership to help at-risk students in Washington County. Student needs change over the course of the school year, Whitehead said, so future donation drives will reflect current demand.
With this initiative, Findlay Subaru continues a long history of giving back. The dealership has donated over $100,000 each to the Southwest Wildlife Foundation and Washington County Sheriff Search & Rescue since opening in 2009. Recently, they donated hundreds of blankets to cancer patients at Intermountain St. George Regional Hospital. They’re committed to making Southern Utah a better place to live.
“We’re very grateful for community partners like Findlay,” Dunham said. “They have a great team, and we’re thrilled to work with them on this.”
Written by ALEXA MORGAN for St. George News.
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Resources
- Findlay Subaru St. George | Address: 1453 Sunland Drive, St. George | Telephone: 435-705-7470 | Website.
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