The United Way of Champaign County will kick off its annual campaign this fall with a different kind of collection drive – for markers, notebooks, shampoo and baby wipes.

The first-ever "Stuff the Bus!" campaign is asking the community to donate school supplies and personal-care items between now and Sept. 2 to help clients at the United Way's 35 partner agencies, including the Center for Women in Transition, the Crisis Nursery of Champaign County and the Don Moyer Boys and Girls Club.

Donors can choose from a list of 25 items and take them to collection bins at more than a dozen participating businesses during the next 10 days. Or they can use the drive-through drop-off at several sites on Sept. 1-2, the end of the collection drive and the official kickoff for the United Way's fall fundraising campaign.

The goal for this year's campaign is $3.3 million, up from $3.1 million last year.

Board member Tony Clements and several United Way staff members heard about a "Stuff the Bus!" effort by the United Way in Indianapolis and decided to try it here, said Lyn Jones, president and chief executive officer of United Way of Champaign County.

"This is a brand new project for us," Jones said. "It's just really a great way for people to do a little something. Let's face it, in the economic state that all of the social service agencies find themselves in, if we can help supply some of the items that they need at the shelters and the nursery and all of those types of places, and they don't have to purchase those, that's another little extra help to their budgets as well."

The event is also a tool to build awareness about the upcoming campaign and boost employee involvement at participating businesses, she said.

The United Way closed its 2009-2010 campaign with a record $3.201 million, up $78,000 from the $3.123 million collected in 2008-09.

Accounting executive Denise Martin, who is co-chairing the new campaign with her husband Kim Martin, said she's a bit nervous about the $3.3 million goal, given the state of the economy and recent budget cuts at the University of Illinois.

But she added, "I think we can do it. One of my clients told me, 'I actually give more when things are bad because people need it.'"

The "Stuff the Bus!" collection bins at Martin, Hood, Friese and Associates on South Neil Street are already full, mostly with school supplies, she said. The firm is collecting items from its own employees and several surrounding businesses.

Other collection bins are located throughout Champaign-Urbana, Savoy, Rantoul, St. Joseph and Mahomet. For an up-to-date list, check the United Way's website.  

The bus to be stuffed, from the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District, will collect the items on Sept. 1-2.

It will start at WDWS/WHMS, 2301 S. Neil St., which will host a drive-through collection from 7 to 9 a.m. on Sept. 1. After picking up items at several participating businesses, the bus will be at Christie Clinic downtown, 101 W. University Ave., C, for another public dropoff from noon to 2 p.m.

After more pickups, the bus will be at Jupiter's at the Crossing, 2511 Village Green Place, C, from 5 to 7 p.m. Sept. 1, where the United Way's "emerging community leaders" will help stuff the bus, Jones said.

The blitz will continue the following day with a community dropoff from 6 to 9 a.m. at WCIA, 509 S. Neil St., C, during "The Morning Show." The bus will then pick up items in Mahomet, Rantoul and St. Joseph.

If the bus gets too stuffed, the United Way has warehouse space ready so it can be emptied for a second load, Jones said.

The United Way's agencies can pick up items starting that afternoon, and whatever isn't taken will be given to the Eastern Illinois Foodbank for distribution, officials said.