Help 'Stuff the Bus' in Carlsbad

To help feed thousands of hungry San Diegans this holiday season, the Sixth Annual “Stuff the Bus” food drive will be held Saturday, October 26, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. in Carlsbad at the Girl Scouts Headquarters located at:

• 5315 Avenida Encinas, Suite 100, Carlsbad, CA 92008

 The event is hosted by the North County Transit District (NCTD), the Metropolitan Transit System (MTS), Albertsons, the Armed Services YMCA, Girl Scouts San Diego, and the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank.

Feeding the hungry in San Diego goes beyond feeding the homeless, and extends to many local families including military families. On average, the Food Bank feeds 320,000 people every month. In fiscal year 2012, the Food Bank distributed nearly 20 million pounds of food, which is the equivalent of 16.6 million meals.

This year, “Stuff the Bus” organizers are challenging the community to help meet the food drive’s goal of collecting enough donations to provide 19,000 meals to surpass last year’s tally of over 12,000 meals. NCTD and MTS will park 19 forty-foot long buses that can each hold enough food for 1,000 meals in front of 17 Albertsons stores and two area Girl Scout headquarters (one in Carlsbad).

A new partner to this year’s food drive is Girl Scouts San Diego. Girl Scouts will be at each location to provide lists of needed food items and thank donors for their generosity. All participating Girl Scouts will earn an exclusive badge on hunger and troops will participate in educational and age-appropriate activities to learn more about food, hunger and healthy eating habits

“For more than a century, Girl Scouts have been helping those in need and making our community a better place,” said Jo Dee C. Jacob, CEO of Girl Scouts San Diego. “We anticipate that thousands of Girl Scouts will participate in ‘Stuff the Bus’ on Oct. 26, and encourage their friends and neighbors to join us in this important service project.”

When the food drive ends at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26, the buses will caravan to the Food Bank where military volunteers from the Armed Services YMCA will unload each bus.

In addition to the 19 designated collections sites, all 41 Albertsons stores in the county will have lists and displays of needed items along with barrels shoppers can fill with donations that will also be used to stuff the buses. Barrels will be available for stuffing at all stores starting on Monday, October 21.

– NCTD press release