With diapers, copy paper and other donations rolling in, the second annual Stuff the Bus drive is set to commence Wednesday morning.

The United Way of Champaign County will kick off its 2011 fund-raising campaign by encouraging the community to stuff Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District buses with office supplies and personal-care items for 35 agencies that serve children, the elderly, hungry, homeless or others in need.

Community members were asked to pick up an extra item or two when they visit the grocery store and drop them off at participating businesses.

The bus will pick up the items on Wednesday and Thursday, stopping in between for public drop-off events at WDWS/WHMS radio center, Christie Clinic in downtown Champaign, Jupiter's at the Crossing and WCIA television station. Nonprofit agencies will be able to shop for free supplies Thursday afternoon and Friday.

Celebrity bus riders will help gather supplies and greet company representatives as the bus makes its way around the community. They include News-Gazette Publisher John Foreman, Champaign County Clerk Gordy Hulten, WDWS/WHMS/WUIL sportscaster Dave Loane, state Rep. Naomi Jakobsson, Champaign school Superintendent Robert Malito, Urbana Superintendent Preston Williams, Champaign County Chamber of Commerce CEO Laura Weis, and United Way board members Curt Anderson, Tony Clements, Tom Ramage, Lynne Barnes and Renee Romano. Barnes and Clements are also co-chairing the $3.3 million fund drive.

The United Way's Emerging Community Leaders will launch their fundraising campaign during the bus break at Jupiter's at the Crossing from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Last year's drive brought in more than 100,000 items. Some locations, including Champaign schools, report getting more donations than last year's but others report less, said Ellen Schmidt, United Way vice president of community investment.

Schmidt said some donors were disappointed that they couldn't contribute school supplies or baby items to the drive, which is focusing on copy paper and other office supplies, along with household cleaning and personal-care items. The United Way conducted a separate drive for school supplies this summer with Walgreen's and WCIA television because the Stuff the Bus collection falls after the start of the school year. Donors can still drop off school supplies at any area Walgreen's for a few more weeks, Schmidt said.

Also, Carle and Health Alliance took on the diapers needed for this year's Stuff the Bus drive, with the total at roughly 8,000 as of Monday, said Carle spokeswoman Jennifer Hendricks Kaufmann. Carle will at least match employee donations and expects to deliver "in the ballpark of 50,000 diapers," she said.

"People don't necessarily think of copy paper as a big need," Schmidt said, "but it's just one less that they have to buy." Charities can then use cash donations for programs instead of supplies, she said.

For more information: http://www.uwayhelps.org

Here's the schedule of public collections:

Wednesday:

7 to 9 a.m.: WDWS-WHMS-WUIL Morning Show, 2301 S. Neil St., C.

Noon to 2 p.m.: Christie Clinic, downtown Champaign, 101 West University Ave., C,

5 to 7 p.m.: Jupiter's at the Crossing, 2511 Village Green Place, C.

Thursday:

6 a.m. to 9 a.m.: The Morning Show WCIA, 509 S. Neil St., C.

What's needed:

— Baby formula

— Personal care: shampoo, conditioner, soap, body wash, hand sanitizer, feminine hygiene products, antiperspirant/deoderant, tissues, toothpaste/toothbrushes, dental floss, Depends.

— Household: Laundry detergent, toilet paper, paper towels, Clorox wipes, garbage bags, plastic baggies (quart).

— Office supplies: Copy paper, envelopes-manila (for 8 x 11 materials), envelopes No. 10, file folders cut.