A school bus parked in the Cortez City Market parking lot Saturday morning for the Good Samaritan Center’s annual “Stuff the Bus” charity drive.
Starting at 10 a.m., volunteers collected donations of nonperishable food, cash and house supplies, with the goal of filling the bus before the 4 p.m. drive to the Cortez food pantry.
KRTZ Radio host Jackson Blue said his station has hosted the event for more than 20 years. Several local businesses sponsored the drive, including Empire Electric Association and State Farm insurance agent Dennis Morito, among others.
Sylvia Lopez, a volunteer from State Farm, said this was her third year helping with the event. The bus seats have filled up every year, she said.
“Last year, we got a lot, and it wasn’t just food – it was toilet paper, cereals, and nonperishable house essentials,” she said.
Blue said the drive is always held in early November, to make sure the food pantry is stocked for Thanksgiving.
The Good Samaritan Center accepts food and cash donations throughout the year at its location on 25 S. Beech St.
The center is open Monday through Thursday from noon to 2 p.m.