WALL, N.J. — Student Transportation Inc. (STI) and its nonprofit charitable organization, the STI Cares Foundation, raised more than $46,000 for their annual "Driving Our Communities" fundraising effort.

The companywide winter campaign, which just completed its sixth year, was designed to help those in need in the North American communities served by STI.

More than 170 of the school bus contractor’s locations coordinated efforts with STI Cares to raise monetary donations and gathered nonperishable food items, household items and toiletries, blankets, coats, jackets, and mittens.

Kelly Engelbert, executive director of the STI Cares Foundation, said that the impact of the latest campaign went beyond the $46,000 tally.

“We were able to help organizations like the Salvation Army provide comfort during the holiday season, replenished local food banks, and made donations to elementary schools and children's hospitals,” Engelbert said.

In addition to the "Driving Our Communities" initiative, STI Cares has been assisting STI locations with developing localized volunteer programs to continue the effort's goodwill throughout the year and to help raise funds for the foundation's Hardship Grant, which assists STI employees and families during times of unforeseen distress.

“To date, we have been able to help with emergency relief for families displaced by home fires, bereavement expenses for a deceased employee's family, and medical expenses for a courageous battle with cancer,” Engelbert said.

STI Cares also recently rolled out its 2018 Scholarship Program, which grants one-time awards of $1,000 each. Scholarships are available to graduating high school seniors who will be attending an institution of higher education (trade schools, technical schools, colleges, and universities) and children and dependents of STI employees.

For more information, go to www.sticares.foundation.