Stuff The Bus 2018

Giving back has always been an integral part of Vessel’s story. Our “Buy a Bag, Give a Bag” promise is one of the several ways we give back to children in need. We believe education is one of the most important gifts a child can receive, that’s why Vessel has teamed up with SDCCU’s Stuff the Bus school-supply drive to raise funds and collect school supplies for the more than 22,000 homeless children in San Diego County.

 SDCCU Stuff the Bus, held in partnership with the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) and local iHeartMedia radio stations, was launched to better prepare homeless children for their first day of school with a backpack full of supplies to help lay the foundation for success and a brighter future. These thousands of children have been identified as homeless based on a variety of factors and living conditions ranging from living in a shelter to living in a car. SDCCU Stuff the Bus collects supplies on their popular SDCCU Bus Tour as well as through their many participating drop-off locations.

This year, Vessel donated 1,500 kids backpacks to Stuff the Bus which were filled with school supplies such as crayons, scissors, and pencils. We also had a Stuff the Bus bin at our retail store located in Westfield UTC where customers could drop off additional supplies. Vessel employees and founder, Ronnie Shaw, attended the Stuff the Bus “packing party” to personally unload the SDCCU buses and fill backpacks with thousands supplies.

In total, SDCCU Stuff the Bus collected more than 230,000 supplies and 6,000 backpacks valuing close to $303,000! These supplies will be going to homeless children in 40 school districts and 21 charter schools. We’re so grateful to the SDCOE, SDCCU, and iHeartMedia for allowing us to be part of Stuff the Bus as we continue our mission to make a difference in the world. 

Remember, you are a Vessel filled with purpose.