Stuff the Bus Delivers Thousands of Books to Support Early Literacy Across Central Iowa

Each year, Stuff the Bus brings our community together around a simple but powerful goal: getting more books into the hands of children across central Iowa.

This year’s annual United Way of Central Iowa initiative resulted in more than 30,000 children’s books collected, all of which are now being distributed to more than 100 childcare centers, in-home providers, and youth-serving programs across Polk, Dallas, and Warren counties. Many of these organizations are United Way of Central Iowa–funded partners, helping extend the impact of this effort even further.

The drive concluded May 12 with a community drop-off event hosted by Athene at its West Des Moines headquarters. The success of Stuff the Bus continues to be made possible through strong partnerships, including the support of event sponsors, Athene, Ernst & Young LLP (EY US), and 93.3 KIOA, along with transportation and logistics provided by Ruan Transportation Management Systems.

Access to books is a critical piece of early childhood development. In central Iowa, only 66% of third graders are reading at grade level, meaning many children are already behind. Efforts like Stuff the Bus help address that gap by ensuring children have access to age-appropriate books both at home and in early learning environments.

“Books helps spark curiosity, build confidence, and support learning from an early age,” said Mary Sellers, president of United Way of Central Iowa. “Stuff the Bus is one way we can come together as a community to support early literacy and long-term success for local children.”

This year’s collections focused especially on books for infants, toddlers, and preschool-aged children, recognizing how important early exposure to reading is for brain development and school readiness.

“We have been proud to support Stuff the Bus for more than a decade,” said Grant Kvalheim, CEO of Athene. “When children learn to read, they can then read to learn. Supporting education and youth development has been a key focus of ours, and that is why we are so committed to this partnership.”

Workplaces across central Iowa played a key role by hosting book drives and encouraging employee participation, further demonstrating the broad community commitment behind this annual effort.

“This is a great example of our people putting care for the community into action,” said Taylor Brunner, senior manager at EY. “Supporting literacy early helps the next generation build confidence and see possibility. It’s rewarding to be part of an effort that reaches so many children across central Iowa.”

If you’re interested in supporting future initiatives or getting involved, visit the Central Iowa Volunteer Hub to learn more about opportunities to make an impact.