As is the case year after year, it seems the kiddos just got out of school when it is time to start “back-to-school” shopping yet again! Some parents try to gather the obvious supplies like pencils, paper and binders throughout the summer when sales pop up here and there, in anticipation of the dreaded lists of school supplies they will receive on or before Open House night at their children’s respective schools. If you are able, please consider picking up a few extra items to donate to the Educator Warehouse to support those educators who find themselves“back-to-school” shopping for all the items they will need throughout the school year.
Many parents struggle to afford even the most basic supplies like pencils and paper, forcing them to send their children to school with empty book bags. With extremely tight budgets within the school system, teachers find themselves picking up the slack and purchasing supplies for their students out of their own pockets.
This is where Educator Warehouse comes into play. This non-profit helps all teachers employed in the WS/FCS system who have filled out a simple application on the school district’s website. Each quarter, teachers are allowed to shop for classroom supplies using points they have been given, as opposed to their hard-earned dollars. With some teachers spending in excess of $500 of their own money on school supplies for their classrooms, Educator Warehouse strives to close this gap in an effort to allow teachers to avoid spending their hard-earned money on paper and pencils. The Educator Warehouse also offers special shopping days at the beginning of the year for teachers to stock up on supplies.
While donating money is always appreciated, Educator Warehouse Director Karel Chandler also needs volunteers. The Educator Warehouse also benefits greatly from direct donations of much-needed supplies.
Most-Needed Core Items for Classrooms:
- Pencils
- Pens
- Colored Pencils
- Mechanical Pencils
- Crayons
- Notebook Paper
- Scissors (large and small)
- Rulers
- Sharpies, Highlighters, Markers
- Glue Sticks, Glue Bottles
- Kleenex
- Hand Sanitizer
Top 12 Office Essentials:
- Binder Clips
- Paper Clips
- Rubber Bands
- Staplers, Staples, Staple Removers
- Scotch Tape Dispensers, Scotch Tape
- 1-, 2- and 3-Hole Punch
- Post-It Notes
- Desk Organizers
- Handheld Calculators
- Jump Drives, CD Disks
- Sheet Protectors
- Bookends
- Pencil Sharpeners
As of January 2018, online shopping has been available for teachers. Teachers can order online, but still need to come to the Educator Warehouse to pick up their items. Effective January 2019, the five public charter schools were invited to take part in the benefits offered by the Educator Warehouse for a small fee.
For more information, including how you can help through volunteering, contact Karel Chandler at [email protected] or 336.817.1673. You can also contact Kendra at the Educator Warehouse by calling 336.671.1078 for more information about donations or to volunteer. The Educator Warehouse is located at 986 Hutton Street in Winston-Salem. Hours of operation are 3:30-5: 30 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays and 9-11am on the first and third Saturdays of each month. To learn more about the warehouse, visit the website at forsythedpartnership.org.
