It's hard to believe WSUS/WNNJ Stuff the Bus has been going on for 15 years. Each year we've topped the previous year's donations. Even back in 2020 during the height of COVID-19 our radio listeners cheerfully bought extra food and frozen turkeys. Then put them in the Skylands Ride busses outside Shop Rite and Lakeland Bank. Last year, you donated over 13 tons of non-perishable food, sides for holiday dinners and frozen turkeys. In addition cash donations were almost $5,000.00. Each dollar donated buys about 5 pounds of food from the New Jersey Food Bank. So that's another 12 tons of food. Our goal every year is to make sure the Sussex County Department of Social Services Food Pantry has enough food to last into early next year.
Once the buses are full they get weighed. Then driven to the social services food pantry. Where volunteers unload and organize everything. Some of the food donated is immediately put into holiday baskets for needy families. More than 200 families in Sussex County received baskets last year for Thanksgiving and Christmas. The rest of the donated food goes right onto food pantry shelves.
Joan Bruseo from the Sussex County Department of Social Services was on my show this morning and described this year's need as "frantic." Every Friday when the food pantry closes it's shelves are empty. Many families are having to choose between warmth and food because of inflation. Everything you donate during Stuff the Bus stays in Sussex County to help those families. Families in need who come to the Sussex County Department of Social Services Food Pantry will get food without delay or paperwork. The philosophy is simple: "Neighbor helping Neighbor."
Today WSUS Afternoon Guy Steve Allan will be at Lakeland Bank from 4PM to 6PM
Tomorrow (Saturday)Steve and I will be at Shop Rite in Franklin from 10AM to 4PM
Sunday Steve and I will be at Shop Rite in Sparta.
Our sister station WNNJ will be at the Newton Shop Rite tomorrow and Byram Shop Rite on Sunday.
The Sparta Independent did a very nice write up last week.
Me with Joan from Social Services at last year's Stuff the Bus Photo: Steve Andrews