Victor Valley Transit Participates In Successful High Desert Clothing Drive

Many people helped with the successful “High Desert, We Love You” initiative. (Photo courtesy of VVTA)

On August 18, the Victor Valley Transit Authority (VVTA) partnered with Live Church in Victorville, CA, for their 2nd annual “High Desert, We Love You” initiative. The weeklong campaign began with a highly successful “Stuff the Bus” event, where church members and the local community were encouraged to donate gently used or new clothing and shoes to support those in need within the High Desert area.

“The event took place during three church services and was met with overwhelming support from the community,” according to a press release. “Many individuals drove up to drop off bags of donations, filling both a 32-foot VVTA fixed-route bus and a Micro-Link micro transit van to capacity. After the event, members of the VVTA executive team, staff, and deputies met the fully loaded vehicles at High Desert Second Chance, where they assisted in transferring the donations into large-scale containers.

“High Desert Second Chance reported a total donation of 22,000 pounds (11 tons) of clothing and shoes, which were then sorted by volunteers from Life Church.”

VVTA Board Chair James Noble commented, “It’s truly inspiring to see our communities come together like this. When organizations, churches, and individuals can unite for a common cause, the impact is tremendous. This initiative shows the power of collective effort in making a difference in the lives of those who need it most.”

On August 20, High Desert Second Chance held its community clothing drive, serving 659 families. In addition, 25 containers of clothing were distributed to partner organizations.

In addition to the collection efforts, VVTA set up a community outreach booth at the event, offering information about their programs, bus schedules, and promotional items for attendees of all ages. The initiative garnered further support, as branch managers from Chase Bank and nurses from Providence St. Mary Medical Center also contributed by collecting clothing at their respective locations. Visit www.vvta.org.