New Mexico Stuff the Bus Event Collects School Supplies for Students

September 1, 2026

The city of Albuquerque called on community members to help fill a city bus with school supplies for students at Albuquerque Public Schools during its annual Stuff the Bus donation drive, reported KOAT News.

The event, held in partnership with the UNM Foundation, was held last weekend. Organizers asked residents to donate school supplies, including heavy-duty backpacks, notebooks, pens, pencils, and other classroom essentials. Clear backpacks and locks for student lockers are among the items most needed this year.

Last year, more than 100 vehicles reportedly stopped by the event to contribute supplies, helping organizers fill a Sun Van with donations. This year, ABQ Ride has set a larger goal: filling a full-size city bus.

“We want to fill up this 40-foot bus from front to back, from floor to ceiling,” Madeline Skrak, public information officer for ABQ Ride, said via the article. “We’ll try to do our best to accomplish that this year. It’ll be hopefully more donations than our Sun Van that we filled up last year.”

Organizers reportedly said providing students with the supplies they need can help remove barriers as they begin the school year and allow them to focus on learning.

“If you don’t have the right supplies, you might not feel confident or excited about going to school or worrying that you might not have the right tools to be successful,” Megan Lindstrom, executive project officer at the UNM Foundation, said via the article.

Lindstrom said donation drives such as Stuff the Bus are intended to help eliminate those concerns and ensure students feel prepared and confident at school.

As an incentive and thank-you for participating, donors will receive one movie pass from Flix Brewhouse and two golf passes from Hinkle Fun Center. All supplies collected during the three-hour event will benefit students attending Albuquerque Public Schools.

Written with the assistance of AI.