AVTA Brings a Busload of Holiday Cheer with their 2023 Stuff-a-Bus Toy Drive

Lancaster – Beginning Wednesday, November 22nd and continuing through Monday December 11th, the Antelope Valley Transit Authority (AVTA) Stuff-a-Bus Holiday Toy Drive will be hold its annual collection of toys and clothing for the Antelope Valley community's children in need.

"AVTA is committed to partnering with the AV community each holiday season, bringing joy to those in need," said AVTA Board Chairman Marvin Crist. "The key to our success is our staff, volunteers, local residents, and generous sponsors, all working together with the goal of helping kids."

Each year the AVTA Stuff-a-Bus Toy Drive collects donations of new unwrapped toys, clothing, and gifts for children ages 0-18. Santa's helpers will be heard chanting "Stuff That Bus!" and ringing their bells to make sure the children and families they serve have a much brighter holiday season. For more than 29 years, this annual event has brought joy to the hearts of local children in need during the holidays by collecting enough toys and clothes to fill to the roof their specially decorated, all-electric, 40-foot bus. 

There will be five Stuff-a-Bus collection event opportunities this year, beginning with the AV YMCA Gobble Wobble Fun Run on Wednesday, November 22nd from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., then the 2023 Christmas Community Benefit Concert on Saturday, December 2nd from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., the West Palmdale Walmart on Sunday, December 3rd from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., then A Magical BLVD Christmas on Saturday, December 9th from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., and finally the West Lancaster Walmart on Sunday, December 10th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. A Stuff-a-Bus donation box is also located at the AVTA office in Lancaster. 

AVTA staff will also collect toys for Stuff-a-Bus at BLVD Association’s Shop Local Saturday event on November 18th from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

AVTA works with local charities to collect and distribute all toy and gift donations. Participating 2023 charities are the Boys & Girls Club of the Antelope Valley, JustServe, Valley Oasis, Kids Feeding Kids Through Agriculture, Child and Family Guidance Center, and the South Antelope Valley Emergency Services (SAVES).

One hundred percent of donations will be distributed at the Holiday Drive-Thru Grocery and Toy Giveaway at AVTA on December 16th, 2023. No sign up is necessary and the event is open to all Antelope Valley Residents. Local families will receive Christmas meal supplies in addition to toys and gifts for their children from the AVTA Stuff-a-Bus program. Children do not need to be present for parents to receive toys.  

Many local businesses helped AVTA to raise nearly $35,000 to help purchase toys and gifts for the holiday drive. 

"The generosity of our major sponsors, such as Duke Engineering, RIDE/BYD, AV Transportation Services (AVTS), High Desert Medical Group, Complete Coach Works, Crazy Otto’s Diner, DP Commercial Brokerages, Kaiser Permanente, Mission Bank, New Flyer/MCI, RentSource, Vinsa Insurance Associates, Farmers Insurance, and Local Union 416 Iron Workers, make a huge impact in the lives of many local families," continued AVTA Board Chairman Crist. "We also want to thank, Avail Technologies, AVEDGE, Bayshore Consulting Group, MV Transportation, OpSec Security, Stradling, Yocca, Carlson & Rauth, Toneman Development, Palmdale Regional Medical Center, and the Weideman Group, whose contributions help make AVTA’s Stuff-a-Bus a huge success."

AVTA provides local, commuter and dial-a-ride service to a population of more than 475,000 residents in the cities of Lancaster and Palmdale as well as the unincorporated portions of northern Los Angeles County. Its total service area covers 1,200 square miles and it is bounded by the Kern County line to the north, the San Bernardino County line to the east, the Angeles National Forest to the south, and Interstate 5 to the West.
###