Chapter News
News Story
Stuff the Bus Receives $50,000 Grant
Dateline: 8/11/2022
To COL Craig Ham who
received a grant check of $50,000.00 on Thursday, August 11, 2022. The ceremony
took place in front of the Veteran’s Service Office located on East Silver
Springs Blvd, Ocala, FL. The grant check was funded by the Marion County Board
of Commissioners from the American
Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). This grant check is designated to support
rural/unincorporated sections of Marion County. Col Ham was instrumental in
preparing the “Stuff the Bus” plan to target twenty-four rural elementary and middle
schools with twenty-five additional backpacks during each of the three years of
the grant. As of August 11, 2022, COL Ham and his “Stuff the Bus” team has
provided twenty-five fully loaded backpacks to forty-four schools in Marion
County for a grand total 1,100 backpacks worth $44,000 from traditional donors.
COL Ham and his “Stuff the Bus” team is planning to load six hundred additional
backpacks. The “Stuff the Bus” program is jointly sponsored by the Kingdom of
the Sun Chapter and the Marion County Veterans Council. Our hats are off to COL
Ham, his family members, and supporting team members. The “Stuff the Bus”
program is now in its 22nd year of supporting Marion County needed school
children with school supplies.