Employees from 35 Central Iowa organizations, along with many individual contributors from the community, donated more than 30,000 children’s books to United Way of Central Iowa’s Stuff the Bus book drive. The results were announced at the annual community-wide book collection in May at Athene in West Des Moines. The books will be distributed to more than 100 child care or child-serving programs in Dallas, Polk and Warren counties. The annual Stuff the Bus book drive is part of United Way of Central Iowa’s United to Thrive strategic focus on early childhood success and education success to ensure Central Iowa youths enter school ready to learn and are academically successful with a plan for their future, according to a news release. “Our 2024 Community Report underscores the importance of kindergarten readiness, revealing a concerning 14% drop among Central Iowa children over the last six years. Access to age-appropriate books is fundamental in developing literacy skills and paving the way for continued educational success,” said Mary Sellers, president of United Way of Central Iowa, in a prepared statement.