Stuff-A-Bus
What is Stuff-A-Bus?
The 36th Annual Stuff-A-Bus food drive to benefit the Peoria Friendship House of Christian Service officially wrapped up on Wednesday, November 29th, 2023. The campaign began on October 20th, 2023 and concluded with a press conference at the Peoria Friendship House of Christian Service to announce the total weight of the bus filled with the food collected during the campaign.
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Highlights from 2022 Stuff-A-Bus Food Drive:
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The total weight of the food collected on the bus during the campaign was 18,840 pounds or 9.42 tons. An additional 1,480 pounds of excess donations that were unable to fit on the bus were loaded onto a CityLink van. The total weight of donations collected during this year’s Stuff-A-Bus food drive totaled 20,320 pounds or 10.16 tons.
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“We are thrilled we were able to collect 10.16 tons of food during the 35thAnnual Stuff-A-Bus food drive this year. After having a virtual food drive last year, it was exciting to see the vintage bus fill up with donations over the past few weeks. It is obvious by the amount of donations collected that this food drive would not be a success without the generosity and support we receive from the community. These donations are a blessing to the families we serve and will keep our food pantry filled for the next several months.”
Marcellus Sommerville, President and CEO of Peoria Friendship House.
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For the past 36 years, CityLink has hosted the Stuff-A-Bus food drive to help eliminate hunger in Peoria. With a long partnership with Kroger to collect enough food to stuff a classic CityLink bus, the donations collected during the annual food drive benefit the food pantry at the Peoria Friendship House of Christian Service.
Join Us In A Campaign!
The Stuff-A-Bus planning committee is looking for schools, churches, organizations and businesses who would like to partner with us for the food drive.
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Peoria is experiencing a food crisis - especially the urban center. What does that mean?
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Some of the children in the Peoria Public Schools only get good nutrition during the week while at school. Many children go hungry on the weekend.
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With grocery store closures, food deserts are becoming even more prominent: A food desert is an area in which it is difficult to buy affordable or good-quality fresh food.
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The majority of the people served at the Peoria Friendship House live below $13,000 per year.