CHARLESTON, S.C. — Student Transportation Inc. (STI) and its charity, the STI Cares Foundation, have launched the sixth annual “Driving Our Communities” fundraising effort.

The companywide initiative is aimed at helping those in need and giving back to the communities served by STI across the U.S. and Canada.

More than 170 STI locations will be collecting donations from employees, customers, and residents in their areas through the end of December. Donations can include canned goods, bagged or boxed foods, dry foods, and other nonperishable items. Coats and jackets, mittens and scarves, blankets, household items, toiletries, and monetary contributions are also collected.

STI employees will also participate in the Driving Our Communities campaign by hosting “Stuff-a-Bus” events to collect donations for the less fortunate, donating transportation for senior care and veterans' outings, and volunteering their time with food banks, shelters, and other nonprofit organizations.

"Over the years, the members of the STI family have gathered and donated tens of thousands of items for charities and other support organizations, and underprivileged families," said Patrick Vaughan, president of STI's School Transportation Group. "With the recent formal rollout of our 501(c)(3) charitable organization, the STI Cares Foundation, and its mission statement to contribute positive change in our communities and care for our employees in times of hardship, the annual Driving Our Communities initiative was a perfect fit for the foundation to spearhead."

While the Driving Our Communities initiative typically takes place from Nov. 1 through Dec. 31, the philanthropic efforts began early this year when STI's human resources leadership team came together in Houston in October to help clean up debris from Hurricane Harvey.

Also, on Oct. 23 and 24, the STI Cares Foundation's major fundraiser of the year, the Pro-Am Jam celebrity music and golf event, took place at the Daniel Island Club in Charleston, South Carolina. Now in its sixth year, the event has raised more than $1.3 million to provide better opportunities for children and the less fortunate.

"Community service runs deep at STI and has been a guiding light for our founder, our company, and our employees throughout our 20-year history," said Kelly Engelbert, executive director of the STI Cares Foundation. "We are hopeful that the Driving Our Communities campaign can build off of the great momentum set forth by our folks who volunteered in Houston recently and our most successful Pro-Am Jam fundraiser to date."

To get involved or donate items through the Driving Our Communities campaign, go to sticares.foundation.