On November 2, Fauquier County came together in a show of community support for the annual Stuff the Bus food drive. This year, the event – hosted by the Fauquier County Public Schools transportation department – saw 21 schools and school-division departments donate an impressive 15,326 pounds of food to The Fauquier Community Food Bank. Six buses were dispatched across the county to collect and transport the donations. 

The event, now in its eleventh year, was a resounding success. Karen Embrey, Transportation Services Routing Technician, noted that this year's donation would have a significant impact on the local community. “Without the Stuff the Bus collection, the food bank would not be able to create their Thanksgiving baskets for local families,” Embrey explained. 

In addition to the generous school donations, a community donation event collected a further 10,796 pounds of food, bringing the total amount of donations to an astounding 26,122 pounds. 

Embrey also mentioned how students were thrilled to be involved in the effort to help those in need. The joy on their faces was evident, and there was even a friendly competition among schools to see who could donate the most. Each school counted the number of items donated, and all items were weighed and tallied by the food bank. This year, Fauquier High School took the lead, donating an impressive 4,479 pounds and 4,484 items.