Stuff the Bus Returns to Peach County for 3rd Year

FORT VALLEY, Ga. – The Annual Stuff the Bus Week has returned to the Peach County Health Department! The Peach County community came together to provide the students of Peach County with the needed school supplies for the new school year.

From Monday, July 7 through Friday, July, 11, the Health Department was collecting various donations from the local community namely school supplies. On Friday at 3 p.m. sharp, the Health Department opened its doors for the students of Peach County to come and get free school supplies. 

Peach County Health Department Customer Service Rep Supervisor, Millicent Jordan, was ecstatic with the turnout from the community.

“We were genuinely pleased with the turnout from the community.  About 200 people attended, despite the intermittent thunderstorms. It’s always inspiring to see how many people show up and contribute–whether through donations, volunteering, or simply spreading the word,” Jordan said. “The level of engagement we saw reaffirms the strong support for students and families in our area. It was a great reminder of how much we can accomplish when the community comes together.”

Various groups in the Peach County community, such as the Fort Valley Lions Club and Peach Concerned Citizens, donated school supplies including No. 2 pencils, pens, pencil boxes, binders, rulers, highlighters, color pencils, hand sanitizers, copy paper, composition books, pocket folders, dry erase markers, boxes of tissues, disinfectant wipes, and loose leaf notebook paper.

“This year, we were fortunate to receive significantly more support from local sponsors, which made a tremendous difference.  We’re especially grateful to The Fort Valley Lions Club, American Legion Post 76 Peach County, Peach Concerned Citizens, Sunmark Community Bank, Synovus, CareSource, the City of Fort Valley, the Council on Alcohol and Drugs, and the Delta Pi Sigma Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho.  Their generous contributions helped us expand our efforts and ensure that more students are equipped with the supplies they need to start the school year strong,” Jordan stated

The Peach County Health Department also provided free food and free haircuts for the students. The Health Department also offered needed immunizations and provided free 3231 forms. The 3231 form is the Georgia Department of Public Health Certificate of Immunization record.

For those who were unable to attend the Stuff the Bus event, the Peach County Health Department offers immunization records for a small fee as well as vaccinations and immunizations. 

“One of the biggest highlights was seeing the joy on children’s faces as they received their school supplies–it really reminded us why we do this each year,” Jordan said. “Another standout moment was the strong presence of volunteers and sponsors who stayed throughout the event, lending a helping hand wherever needed. Children received haircuts, snacks, and hygiene kits–things that are essential to the confidence, health, and readiness of students as they head back to school.”

Jordan wanted to take a moment to give her thanks not only to those who helped make the event a success through sponsorships and donations, but also those who were able to attend with their children to receive supplies.

“I would like to extend my sincerest appreciation for sponsors, volunteers, and families for making this event a true success.  We’re proud to serve a community that consistently shows up for one another, and we look forward to continuing this work together,” Jordan said.

The Peach County Health Department is open from Monday to Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and their offices are closed on all state-observed holidays.

According to their website; “The Peach County Health Department is dedicated to preventing disease, promoting health and protecting our community against health threats through education, service, advocacy and collaboration.”

The Peach County Health Department has a Non-Discrimination Policy and will never deny service to people regardless of their race/ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, insurance status, county of origin/immigration status, physical ability, or mental ability.

The Peach County Health Department’s website states; “We offer more than 30 different programs and services, all focused on protecting you, your family and your community. We want to protect your health wherever you live, work and play. Many services we provide are available free, and all services we provide are low-cost. No one is denied service because of inability to pay or lack of insurance.”

For more information on the Peach County Health Department and the services they provide, they can be found at NCHD52.org/Peach and on Facebook at PeachDPH. Their office phone number is (478) 825-6939.