More than 51,000 items were donated for Reach Out Lakota, which serves the two Butler County townships as the primary provider of emergency food and other relief items.
The total was just shy of 2024’s record-breaking total of almost 60,000 items, said the leader of Reach Out Lakota.
“We are beyond grateful for this amazing support we get from the Lakota school community,” said Brenda Yablonsky, the director for Reach Out Lakota.
“So many families right here in our community who are struggling will receive both food assistance and hope, thanks to everyone pulling together to help our neighbors,” said Yablonsky.
According to Lakota officials the near-record collection was due to 14 Lakota schools upping their totals compared to fall 2024’s campaign, with some schools seeing triple and even quadruple growth.
The Stuff The Bus campaign, which was created by the Lakota Board of Education 18 years ago, also includes donation competition between the district’s schools to see which one can solicit and collect the most items.
The winner’s trophy, held by VanGorden Elementary for the last year, returns to former champion Independence Elementary School, which collected 7,161 items—an average of 12.5 items per student.
Independence, which is located in Liberty Twp., received its trophy during the recent Lakota East and Lakota West high school football game that is annually the biggest joint sporting event in the district, often drawing fans from all 22 Lakota schools in the two townships.
“Reach Out Lakota is such an outstanding community resource and what a partnership Lakota has with them to meet the ever-changing needs of our families,” said Independence Principal John Mattingly.
Mattingly said his school’s 6th graders were particularly driven after losing the trophy to VanGorden Elementary last fall. Having experienced victory as both third and fourth graders, the students and staff came up with a fun plan they coined “Operation Get the Trophy Back” to inspire their peers to give.
Rounding out the top three schools behind Independence was VanGorden with 5,242 items (8.2 per student); Liberty Early Childhood School with 2,446 items (6.9 per student) and Hopewell Early Childhood School with 4,742 items (6.9 per student).
“This annual tradition shows the true heart of our schools,” said School Board President Julie Shaffer. “We are so proud of this community tradition and grateful to our students, staff and families for always rallying behind it. More and more of our own students and families turn to Reach Out Lakota in their times of need and this is one way we can be part of the solution.”
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