The United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties is set to collect items for literacy kits through June 20 in its inaugural "Stuff the Bus" program that is expected to provide more than 500 local students with tools and resources for success.

As one of its four impact areas, United Way is focusing on this educational program in order to provide the students not only with school supplies, but also books and activities promoting literacy. According to www.tn.gov, only 42% of third-grade Tennessee students were reading on grade level in 2010.

Items needed to complete the literacy kits include: scissors (Fiskar brand), paper (wide-ruled notebook paper), craft paper or handwriting paper, spiral-bound notebooks with wide ruled notebook paper, crayons (24-count Crayola), pencils (No. 2), markers (Crayola), stickers, glue sticks (Elmer’s) and Play- Doh.

Various locations are accepting donations for the Stuff the Bus program, including: La Vergne Public Library, Wilson Bank & Trust locations (Rutherford County), Ford of Murfreesboro, The Learning Circle, Dollar General (Cason Lane location), SportsCom, Patterson Park, United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties, Linebaugh Library locations, Sam’s Club, the Rutherford County Courthouse, FirstBank locations (Rutherford and Cannon Counties), and Stones River Hospital of Woodbury. Public collection sites will close on June 20 and kits will be distributed in backpacks to the students on June 21 through a school bus delivery system.

Additional sponsors and event partners include Nissan North America, Middle Tennessee Medical Center, Publix Super Markets and Publix Super Markets Charities, Regions Bank, First Book, the Learning Circle, Embassy Suites, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Rutherford County and the United Way Women's Initiative Council.

For more information on sponsoring a literacy kit for $10, volunteering for the event or hosting an internal collection of literacy kits, please visit www.uwrutherford.org or call 615-893-7303.