Gary Yeomans Palm Bay Ford is helping Brevard students start the school year prepared for success with the 4th Annual Fill-A-Ford 4 Students school supply drive benefiting Brevard Schools Foundation’s Supply Zone for Teachers.
Ready to help? Shop the Supply Zone Amazon Wish List or find a school supply collection site.
Now through August 10, community members can donate new school supplies at participating collection sites throughout Brevard County or shop from the Supply Zone’s Amazon Wish List. Then, on Tuesday, August 11, the Gary Yeomans Palm Bay Ford team will hit the road, visiting collection sites and filling a Ford with the donated supplies before delivering them to the Supply Zone.
Over the past three years, Fill-A-Ford 4 Students has collected over 10,000 school supplies for local students and teachers.
“Fill-A-Ford 4 Students is a great example of what can happen when our community works together,” said Nina Moser, Director of Development for Brevard Schools Foundation. “From the businesses collecting supplies and the teams helping pick up, unload, and inventory donations to every person who contributes a backpack or box of pencils, each plays a part in helping students start the school year prepared and confident. We’re grateful to Gary Yeomans Palm Bay Ford for bringing everyone together for a fourth year.”
A Community Effort
This year’s Fill-A-Ford 4 Students brings together several local businesses and organizations hosting school supply collections:
- BRPH, 5700 N. Harbor City Blvd., Suite 400, Melbourne
- Community Credit Union of Florida, Viera Branch, 5340 Stadium Parkway, Viera
- Ford’s Garage Viera, 5480 Lake Andrew Drive, Viera
- Duda Sod, 10002 N. Wickham Road, Viera
- Gary Yeomans Palm Bay Ford, 1202 Malabar Road SE, Palm Bay
On August 11, team members from Gary Yeomans Palm Bay Ford and Brevard Schools Foundation will hit the road together, visiting participating locations and loading the donated supplies into a Ford. The day’s final stop will be the Supply Zone in Cocoa, where members of the Brevard Public Schools Technology Services team will lend a hand unloading the donations.
The community effort continues the following day. On August 12, volunteers from RSM US LLP will help inventory the donated supplies as part of their Power of Love program, preparing them for distribution through the Supply Zone.
Each organization plays a different role, but the goal is the same: helping ensure Brevard Public Schools students and teachers have access to the supplies they need throughout the school year.
Filling More Than a Ford
All supplies collected through Fill-A-Ford 4 Students will benefit the Supply Zone for Teachers, a program of Brevard Schools Foundation that provides free school supplies and other essential resources to eligible Brevard Public Schools teachers and students.
For Supply Zone Coordinator Pam Lyons, seeing a vehicle arrive filled with supplies represents something much bigger.
“When those supplies arrive at the Supply Zone, we know exactly where they’re headed: into classrooms and into the hands of students who need them,” Lyons said. “Having the right supplies helps students participate fully in their classroom, feel confident alongside their classmates, and focus on learning. We’re grateful to Gary Yeomans Palm Bay Ford and every business, volunteer, and community member who helps make that possible.”
The local drive is part of a much larger commitment through Gary Cares. This year, 10 Fill-A-Ford events are taking place across seven dealerships in three states, extending the impact to students and schools in multiple communities.
The initiative reflects Gary Cares, the Gary Yeomans dealership group’s commitment to supporting local organizations and giving back to the communities its dealerships serve.
Help Us Fill the Ford
There is still time to be part of this year’s Fill-A-Ford 4 Students.
Donations of new backpacks, notebooks, composition books, folders, pencils, pens, crayons, markers, colored pencils, scissors, glue sticks, dry erase markers, calculators, tissues, hand sanitizer, and other classroom essentials are needed.
Donate in person: Find current public school supply collection sites at bit.ly/SZSupplySites.
Shop online: Purchase needed supplies directly from the Supply Zone Amazon Wish List.
Community donations will be accepted through Monday, August 10, before Gary Yeomans Palm Bay Ford makes its Fill-A-Ford collection run on August 11.
Together, we can fill a Ford and help fill Brevard classrooms with the tools students need for a successful school year.
