“I’m super excited to get this school year off. We’ve been off since the middle of May. All our teachers are getting into the building,” said Tricia Pollard, the youth service center coordinator at Walton-Verona Middle and High Schools.

Staff from schools across Northern Kentucky set up at Chick-fil-A locations throughout Northern Kentucky to stuff the bus with different school supplies donated by community members.

“Composition notebooks, pencil pouches, binders, binder tabs, highlighters, expo markers, things that are a little more expensive that people can’t get on their own,” Pollard said.

There was a deal — donations could lead to free Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich cards. But it’s more than a free sandwich. It’s a collaboration to ease the financial burdens many families face in acquiring school supplies.

“This is crucial for our students just to eliminate any barriers that might hinder their education. This is a huge blessing to us to be able to have these supplies on hand to be able to give to them on their first day when they show up,” said Katie Napier, the elementary school and early childhood center’s family resource coordinator out of Walton-Verona schools.

It also helps teachers.

“All teachers love children in their classrooms like their own. They would have to go out and buy their own things before stuff like this happened, so now it allows them to tell me and I have it in their classroom within minutes and they have it right there,” Pollard said.

Administrators said they’re grateful to Chick-fil-A and community members for helping ensure a successful start to the school year.