By Audrey Levine Staff Writer
For one day, the big yellow school bus will not be filled with children.
Instead, Hillsborough police officers are hoping to make the bus overflow with items that can brighten the upcoming holiday season.
Officers will be stationed outside Hillsborough ShopRite on Saturday for “Stuff the Bus,” an event encouraging residents to donate everything from tuna fish to laundry detergent for those in assisted living homes as a way to help them enjoy Thanksgiving and the upcoming holidays.
According to Officer Chris Kennedy, organizer of the event, police officers will be handing out fliers with suggestions from Hillsborough Social Services Department with the hope that residents will purchase enough necessary items in the store to stuff the bus borrowed from Valcheck Bus Company.
He said that all items collected will be brought to the municipal building, after which they will be distributed to those in need.
”We want to get as many items as we can to help the people of Hillsborough,” he said.
Officer Kennedy said this is about the fourth year the police have hosted the event, and there is always a good turnout of officers and residents willing to help the community.
”Many police officers donate their time to greet residents,” he said. “And there are lots of people who donate items.”
Officer Kennedy said the needed items include tuna fish, shampoo, conditioner, coffee, canned fruit, canned pasta, macaroni and cheese, laundry detergent, tea bags, soups, stews, toilet paper, paper towels, rice mixes and instant mashed potatoes.
The officers will be collecting items between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.
