Double decker busses aren’t just for the Brits anymore. Next week, a red bus will roll onto Washburn’s campus.

Yet this is not your typical bus. It won’t be full seats and ticket stubs.  Instead, the bus has been transformed into a thrift store on wheels, with clothes, shoes, and accessories inside. The money from the purchases that students make goes to support orphans worldwide. Washburn students are encouraged to stop by, shop, and make a difference in the lives of orphans and their adoptive families. 

The mission of the Red Bus Project is as unique as the vehicle itself.  On March 12, 2012 as a creative opportunity for college students to get involved in solving the global crisis surrounding orphaned children. Since its foundation, the bus has pulled into over 60 college campuses and raised more than $50,000 to aid families working to adopt children through Christian singer Steven Curtis Chapman’s Show Hope foundation. Show Hope has successfully helped over 3,500 orphan children into the arms of loving families in 50 countries.

Chase Sachs, president of Washburn’s Christian Challenge is excited about this unique opportunity for students to give back.

“Christian Challenge has lately been looking for new innovative ideas on how to serve.”  Tyler Powell, a Christian Challenge adult staff member, introduced the idea to the campus group.

“We decided to support the initiative. Not only is it a worthy cause to support, but we hope that it serves as inspiration to other students who are looking for new and original ways of supporting causes.”

The impact of the Red Bus Project doesn’t stop when the bus pulls out of the parking lot. The goal of the Red Bus Project is to have students actively involved in advocating for orphan children. Almost every campus that the bus has stopped at now has a student advocate program. The goal of this campus presence is for students to “discover their own Red Bus” – or ways that they can locally raise awareness for orphans with innovative ideas of their own. 

When the bus pulls on campus, students will find great thrift store finds and feel confident in the knowledge that the money from every purchase goes to a greater cause.

Kelsey Donaldson, a student at Washburn who has been involved with Christian Challenge since 2012, explained more about the Red Bus Project.

“This is such a simple concept and easy to get involved, whether it is a onetime purchase, a onetime donation, or continued support by staying plugged in to all that Red Bus Project is doing, but makes such an immense impact on lives of orphans throughout the world. WU campus can have an impact.”

To find out more about donating items for the bus, shopping on the bus, and how to get involved with Christian Challenge, stop by the tables they will have in the Student Union March 31 through April 2. You can find the red bus parked in the circle drive outside Mabee Library on April 3. All proceeds from the Red Bus Project go directly to the Show Hope ministry.