Peninsula Moves!

Residents along the Peninsula proved to be in a typically-charitable mood this past weekend, as they showed strong support for the SamTrans and KOIT 96.5 – sponsored Stuff a Bus campaign in San Bruno.

A fundraising effort spearheaded by the radio station KOIT, the event was aimed at packing a SamTrans bus full of donated non-perishable food items (hence the name), with the proceeds benefitting the Second Harvest Food Bank, an organization that serves 250,000 people in the region.

During the event, which took place at the Shops at Tanforan  in San Bruno, KOIT collected 15 giant boxes of food and $200.  According the Second Harvest Food Bank website, thanks to a matching grant, every dollar donated can provide a Thanksgiving meal for four people.  The $200 raised during this event will provide a Thanksgiving meal for 800 Bay Area residents. . The donations to the food bank will be directed to families in need around the Peninsula.

Food banks typically see increased demand around the holidays, and this year is no exception.  Please consider an online cash donation if you were not able to drop by this year’s event.  The San Mateo County Transit District, which manages SamTrans and Caltrain, was proud to take part again in this supportive community event. Along with SamTrans’ involvement in the Stuff a Bus fundraiser, Caltrain helps collect toys as part of its Holiday Train event. In collaboration with the United States Marines’ Toys for Tots Foundation, Caltrain has collected some 50,000 gifts since the Holiday Train began operating 13 years ago.

It has been dutifully noted how expensive it is to live in the Bay Area, and families that struggle to make ends meet feel the effect of that environment particularly hard during the Holidays. Caltrain and SamTrans are happy to do their part to help out those families, many of which rely on our public transportation services to get around.