Another Successful Year For Casper’s Stuff The Van

The Casper community is one of the best at looking after its own and one of the most giving communities I've ever experienced. That is especially true around the holidays.

Hundreds of turkeys are donated annually through the Birds & Bucks Program to ensure families have a happy Thanksgiving.

A couple of weeks later, there is 'Stuff The Van,' where toys and cash are collected to help families that have fallen on hard times and need help from Santa's helpers to get Christmas gifts for their kids.

Stuff the Van began when former Townsquare Media radio personality Donovan Short saw the need to help Casper with the holidays. It remains an integral part of the community holiday tradition.

2024 was the 27th year of the event and another successful year. The event runs for six straight days, twelve hours per day, and is held on location. It collects toys and cash to help Casper kids experience the joy and excitement of Christmas.

When people think a child may go without the joy of Christmas, they want to ensure that doesn't happen. To that end, people of all ages stopped by Walmart East in Casper to drop off donations, some even coming from other communities around central Wyoming.

This year, Mike stopped by and gave toys, saying:

We listen to My Country 95.5 in Douglas and even though we don't have anything like that there, we wanted to give

The week started strong and held momentum until the end, thanks to business challenges, parents with their children, young couples, thrift shoppers, small business owners, first responders, annual donors, Santa Claus, and those who just wanted to help others.

When day six ended, Stuff the Van was able to share the Christmas spirit with over 1,000 kids through our partners at the Boys and Girls Club and Casper Housing Authority CARES. 

Nicole Arner has been involved with the toy drive for 15 years, has become dubbed the "Chief Logistica," and is instrumental in ensuring the toys reach needy kids. She orchestrates the experience so parents can "shop" for the items their kids would like for Christmas.

Jamie Purcell has worked closely with Stuff the Van and Townsquare Media for years, organizing and coordinating the event.

Stuff the Van has created outstanding bonds with local businesses like Hotsy and Montana Shed Company, who remain essential to the six-day event. Providing heat and storage space for all of the toys.

This program would not have been as successful without the volunteers, whether they donated their time, money, or gifts.

Casper Housing Authority CARES was our leading fiscal partner. They accounted for all financial gifts and managed online donations, helping to ensure Stuff the Van's accountability to the community.

From all of us at Stuff the Van, we say a heartfelt Thank You.