FLAGSTAFF, Ariz — The annual Stuff the Bus event returns to Flagstaff on Saturday and Sunday, November 12 and 13, 2022. This collection event has long been a partnership between the City of Flagstaff, Coconino County, and the Mountain Line Transit System.
“The Mountain Line team looks forward to this event each year, and we are honored to work with our partners to fill a bus with good to help our neighbors in need,” said Mountain Line CEO & General Manager Heather Dalmolin.
For both days at the Safeway Supermarket, 1201 S. Plaza Way in Flagstaff, the public is invited to bring their donated non-perishable food and Thanksgiving turkeys to fill a Mountain Line bus. In 2021 the event collected over 8,000 lbs. of food and $80,000 in financial contributions. This year’s event sponsor, Desert Financial Credit Union, has pledged to match all food and cash donations up to $40,000.
“The demand for food in 2022 is the highest it has ever been in our 30-year history. Our kitchen serves over 1,300 meals every day,” added JB DeWitt, Development Director at the Food Center. “Stuff the Bus is one of the largest food drives of the year for the Flagstaff Family Food Center and any financial or food donation you make during this event will be matched by Desert Financial Credit Union, up to $40,000! Donate today, feed a family tomorrow.”
Flagstaff Family Food Center is a critical part of the non-profit community in Northern Arizona. In 2021, they distributed almost 8 million lbs. of food to those in need, equaling about 6.6 million meals. During the COVID-19 pandemic their Mobile Distribution Program was created as a response to the immediate growth in demand for food. It still operates 5 days a week and offers emergency food boxes in 9 local neighborhoods, including one on the Navajo Nation, by using a pop-up, drive-through model. This model offers more efficient ways to get food into the hands of those in need and has distributed just over 4 million pounds of food since its inception.