Stuff the Bus program is no stranger to families, children and leaders of the Topeka community and that's why its gearing up for its decade of service.

The program has provided an abundance of school supplies and donations for local children who attend the Boys and Girls Clubs of Topeka. There are currently 14 Boys and Girls Club sites in Topeka, which serve more than 1,400 kids per year, said Dawn McWilliams, CEO.

"All of the elements that are necessary to, when I use this analogy, fill a kid's backpack are really needed year-round. And so, with those expansion efforts, the impact of the event as it has grown has also increased," said McWilliams.

Stuff the Bus began from Leadership Greater Topeka program

Pat Colley, Stuff the Bus event organizer, founded the event in 2015 when he was involved in Leadership Greater Topeka.

"Not only is it a great program that many in the community get to be part of but one of the components of it is to complete a community-based project and ultimately we get into smaller groups, I think we had four or five smaller groups and each of us came up with our own project," said Colley. "Our particular group kicked around a lot of ideas quickly and landed on that we wanted to support something within the community.

"We wanted to have it youth focused and have an education type of impact. Ultimately, we landed on the Boys and Girls Club."

Leadership Greater Topeka's primary goals are to provide adaptive leadership skills and concepts to aspiring and established leaders. It's also to give the class a better understanding of Topeka's ins and outs, challenges and successes, said Michelle Cuevas-Stubblefield, senior vice president of strategy.

The program has been running for 41 years and typically intakes a class each year of about 36 members. Alongside Stuff the Bus, another program that originated from LGT is Topeka's annual Miracle on Kansas Avenue parade.

Cuevas-Stubblefield said the organization tries to make sure each class is representative of the community.

"Basically, every year we ask the class that has been selected to come together and figure out how they're going to figure out how to do the project. They have to come together as a group," said Cuevas-Stubblefield.

LGT provides a $1,500 stipend to begin the program, and if there are any further funds needed, it's left to the group to figure out.

"Even if the group comes together and is unable to form a project, it's still a great learning process because they get a better understanding of what their part was: 'Why is it we couldn't, how could we have done this differently?' When there isn't a designated authority, what does that do to the mix and understanding your role, and at any moment, you can lead is the greatest lesson along the way," said Cuevas-Stubblefield.

How Stuff the Bus has grown in a decade

Stuff the Bus has raised more than $142,000 in donations and supplies for BGCT kids with help from local businesses in its decade of existence. This year, leaders expect to surpass the $150,000 mark with a goal of raising $25,000.

"COVID year, 2020 was probably the premier year and that's really when people were really stepping out because of the uncertainties that we were in to make sure that all things were fulfilled," said McWilliams. "But we have steadily grown to increase giving because the capacity in Boys and Girls Club reach over the last 10 years has grown as well."

Colley said in the first year of Stuff the Bus, $8,000 had been raised in donations.

"The kids in our community are really our tomorrow, they are our future. So, we want to invest back in them, and this is at that personal level of how we can benefit them that they can grow and become more impactful in our community," said Colley.

Security Benefit, Federal Home Loan Bank, Mars, Kansas Gas, Kansas Fencing, Patton Law Office, Topeka Police Department and Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office have been longtime supporters since the program has developed over the years, he said.

2025 Stuff the Bus at Evergy Plaza

This year's Stuff the Bus was to kick off May 17 at the downtown Evergy Plaza during the Summer Night Food Truck Festival . The campaign will run through Aug. 1.

Education and Crafting supplies are acceptable, as well as personal hygiene, household items and games and activities. One time or monthly online donations can also be made at the BGCT Topeka website.

"We're very, very grateful to live in Topeka and Shawnee County community while partnering with four incredible school districts who are also partners in these efforts to make sure that students have what they need to be successful in their development to young adults," said McWilliams.