Panthers fans...don't forget your homework for the regular season home opener on Sept. 16.
The Carolina Panthers and Classroom Central will hold the annual "Stuff the Bus" school supply collection before the game against the New Orleans Saints at 1 p.m. at Bank of America Stadium.
Fans are encouraged to bring school supplies, such as pencils, markers glue sticks and highlighters, that are in high demand and needed to equip underserved children for the new school year.
Volunteers from Classroom Central will be at each gate when the stadium opens at 11 a.m. to collect the supplies. Fans can drop off donations in the yellow "Stuff the Bus" collection bins at each gate.
All school supplies collected from the "Stuff the Bus" campaign will be donated to Classroom Central, a non-profit store where area teachers in resource-challenged schools can obtain materials free of charge.
"The Carolina Panthers are proud to partner with our fans to provide on-going support for Classroom Central," said Riley Fields, the Carolina Panthers director of community relations. "Panthers fans have always been generous in supporting team efforts, and we are looking forward to this year's Stuff the Bus collection drive, which will again provide important resources to help teachers and students succeed in the classroom."
Last year, Panthers' fans donated more than 50,000 school supplies, which contributed to Classroom Central's total distribution of more than $5 million in free school supplies to more than 132,000 students in 206 schools in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg, Gaston, Iredell, Kannapolis, Lancaster and Union school systems.
Classroom Central opened in 2002 after receiving a $200,000 grant from Carolina Panthers Charities and will celebrate its 10-year anniversary in October. For more information about "Stuff the Bus" or Classroom Central, visit http://www.classroomcentral.org/.
