IPSCO - Fill The Bus

Home > About IPSCO > Corporate Citizen > Fill The Bus Campaign

Fill The Bus Campaign

In 2004 the IPSCO Foundation for Education undertook an initiative to collect donations of school supplies, or monetary donations for their purchase, for North Mobile County schools to provide these schools' teachers with the supplies they would otherwise have to purchase themselves.

Reaching out to local companies to give the opportunity to show their support for these area schools was the first step in the drive for donations.

The next step was our drive for community donations which was a 3-day event at Wal-Mart Super Center in Saraland. We had a school bus at Wal-Mart to fill with supplies. Through generous corporate and public donations we filled two school buses with approximately $15,000 worth of supplies, making the campaign a success the last two years!

The supplies donated, and the burden lifted by having them available, will enable our teachers and students to return to school this fall better prepared for the year ahead.

I know what you might be thinking…"Parents already send supplies to schools. Why are you asking for our help?" Well, let us tell you why.

Just The Facts
According to the Mobile County Public School System Statement of Revenues and Expenditures for 2004, the entire school system is given $15,761,112 for "materials and supplies." You're probably thinking, "That's a lot of money." Think again. $1.73 million of that money is designated for special projects, leaving $14,023,017 for materials and supplies for the 100 schools, 65,000 students, and 8,000 employees of the Mobile County Public School System for the entire school year. That averages to $1.35 per day per child. And if you include the 8,000 employees in the mix, it averages to $1.20 per day per person.

Toilet tissue, paper towels, Kleenex, hand sanitizer, copy paper, chalk, garbage bags, Lysol spray, band-aids, tape, staples, pencils, notebook paper…these are just some of the items that our teachers need in order to take care of our children every day. And yes, some parents send supplies, and the teachers are given limited funds to provide the items they need to teach with, but $1.35 a day just doesn't get the job done.

Thank you to these major contributors.

Aaron Oil

China Doll Riviana

Coca Cola

First Mobile Title

G.A. West

Industrial Wellness/Rehab

Kimberly Clark

Port City Realty

Port City Rentals

Shell Chemicals

Tes Co Electrical