NSBE Bulldog Chapter Partners with St. John AME Church to Support Local Children
Engineering Students Launch First ‘Stuff-a-Bus’ Holiday Toy Drive
For many children in Huntsville and Madison County, a new toy can be a rare gift. This holiday season, students at Alabama A&M University are working to change that. The Bulldog Chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) is partnering with St. John AME Church to host its first-ever “Stuff-a-Bus” Holiday Toy Drive, collecting new, unwrapped toys for children ages 2–18. All donations will benefit Christmas Charities Year Round, a local nonprofit supporting families in need.
The community is invited to join students Friday, Nov. 14, at 6:30 p.m. at St. John AME Church, 229 Church Street NW, for an evening of fellowship, holiday giving, and community engagement. Attendees can help fill the bus with toys and bring joy to children during the holiday season.
“The goal of the Stuff-a-Bus Toy Drive isn’t just to fill a bus with toys – it’s to fill hearts with hope,” said Bryson Hannah, president of the AAMU NSBE Bulldog Chapter and a mechanical engineering major from Atlanta. “It’s about showing what happens when a community comes together to make a difference.”
Anthony DeVaughn II, conference planning chair and a construction management major from Los Angeles, said the event is a chance for students to connect with the community in a meaningful way. “This is our first year doing this,” he said. “I wanted to plan a community engagement event that is outside the box – a way for us to step off campus and engage with the local community, especially during these trying times.”
Students, faculty, alumni, and members of the Huntsville community are encouraged to participate and help make the inaugural Stuff-a-Bus Toy Drive a success.
Cole Cooper, vice president of the chapter and an electrical engineering major from Cincinnati, reflected on the broader meaning of the initiative. “Holiday toy drives remind us that the true spirit of the season is in giving – bringing joy, hope, and a sense of belonging to families who need it most.”
(Photo L-R) Camryn Cooper, Anthony DeVaughn II, Christion Clark, Miles Jones, Raymond Greene, Walter Bowers, Cole Cooper, Raymond Wilson III, Danaylah Branch, Bryson Hannah, Jaden Caldwell, Chase Pringle and Kirsten Williams