Bag Brigade to host annual ‘Stuff the Bus’ at BVA game

All single-serve food donations will be distributed to needy students in the district.

When football teams from Belle Vernon Area and South Fayette meet on the field Friday night, another challenge will be taking place outside of James Weir Stadium.

The Bag Brigade, an outreach program through Gospel Alliance Church in Belle Vernon looking to end childhood hunger in the community, will host its fourth annual Stuff the Bus food fundraiser at the stadium to stock its shelves.

Kathy Kelly, co-founder of the Bag Brigade, said they’re excited for the event. She’s encouraging everyone coming to the game to bring a donation and to spread the word to others.

“They don’t even have to go to the game,” Kelly said. “If they just want to support us by coming with some food for the kids, we’d be thrilled to meet them.”

The bus will be parked at the stadium entrance.

They will accept all single- serve food items, but Kelly said they’re most in need of Spaghettios, boxed drinks, pudding cups, oatmeal packets, popcorn and fruit cups.

Rostraver and Marion elementary school classrooms are participating in donation competitions and collecting ramen noodles and peanut butter crackers for the drive. Kelly added that the local sports teams are also participating.

“It is Spaghettios for the football team. The band is bringing in box drinks. And we have the softball team involved,” Kelly said. “The high school is working on a food drive for us, too, and I believe the student council is putting together something for the middle school. So we have all the different schools involved in some way to help us stuff the bus.”

All food donations will go toward the Bag Brigade and will be distributed to students in the district.

“I recently heard on the CBS News that one out of every five students fears that they will not have enough food on the weekends to make it through,” Kelly said. “If that statistic doesn’t shock you or make you want to do something to help, I don’t know what will.

“If there’s a need, we as a group of people need to meet that need. Hopefully, our community sees that and sees what we’re doing and will support us in that endeavor.”

The nonprofit holds multiple food drives throughout the year, but the next one won’t be until 2025. The Bag Brigade accepts donations year-round at its hub at 1181 Fells Church Road.

“A lot of different organizations are standing with us and helping us in many, many ways,” Kelly said. “We would love to see the support just grow, and hoping maybe that this Stuff the Bus will bring to the attention of people in the community a way to help.”

The Bag Brigade packs food for 230 kids in the area. Families can still sign up if they’re interested in receiving food.

Kelly said interested families can talk to their school’s guidance counselor or reach out to the Bag Brigade at bagbrigadegac@gmail.com or call 412-983-0286.