In Georgia, the Blue Bird School Bus Foundation is turning its trademark ride into a symbol of something bigger — a journey of giving back.
The charitable arm of the iconic bus maker awarded $60,000 to eleven local nonprofits this year, from the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Chattahoochee Valley to the Middle Georgia Community Food Bank and Mercer University. Donations ranged from $2,500 to $10,000.
“Blue Bird is proud to serve as a good corporate citizen in Georgia, our home state for nearly a century,” said company president and CEO John Wyskiel. “Our foundation partners with outstanding nonprofit organizations to help address the most pressing social needs in our communities. We are committed to advancing the education, health, and safety of the children in our midst, thereby, setting them up for long-term success.”
Kathy R. McCollum, president and CEO of the Middle Georgia Community Food Bank, called the gift “much-needed.”
“Many children in our community rely on free breakfast and lunch at school,” she said. “We appreciate the generous funding from Blue Bird School Bus Foundation to purchase food for this program so that students go to school healthy and ready to learn.”
Andrew Felton II of Peach County Family Connection echoed that gratitude.
“This contribution of support in the amount of $7,500 will allow us to strengthen our outreach and deliver meaningful programming focused on conflict resolution, social-emotional development, and mental health access and support for the students and families we serve,” he said.
Since its founding in 2015, the Blue Bird School Bus Foundation has donated about $715,000 to nearly 80 Georgia-based nonprofits. Its Dealers Driving Communities Forward program extends that mission nationwide, offering up to $2,500 annually for charitable work by Blue Bird’s dealer partners.
For nearly a century, the buses have carried generations to school. Now, their namesake foundation helps carry Georgia’s children toward a stronger future.
About Blue Bird Corporation
Blue Bird (NASDAQ: BLBD) is recognized as a technology leader and innovator of school buses since its founding in 1927. Our dedicated team members design, engineer and manufacture school buses with a singular focus on safety, reliability, and durability. School buses carry the most precious cargo in the world – 25 million children twice a day – making them the most trusted mode of student transportation. The company is the proven leader in low- and zero-emission school buses with more than 25,000 propane, natural gas, and electric-powered buses sold. Blue Bird is transforming the student transportation industry through cleaner energy solutions. For more information on Blue Bird’s complete product and service portfolio, visit www.blue-bird.com.
