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Cleaning out your closet never felt so good! Bring your lightly-used or no longer needed office supplies like folders, notepads, pens, art supplies and more to Monument Circle on July 20 and you’ll not only clear out your own clutter—you’ll help teachers working hard to educate our local schoolchildren.
With over half of the children in Marion County unable to afford school lunch, it shouldn’t be a surprise that there are little funds available for these students to purchase the supplies they need to succeed in the classroom. That’s why the Indianapolis legal community is once again “Stocking the Schools” before the buses roll out for a new year.
Check out insight from Teachers’ Treasures Executive Director Margaret Sheehan below, and get ready to stock the schools on July 20!
Q: Why was Teachers’ Treasures created?
A: In 2000, Indianapolis Public Schools principal Phillis Imel was frustrated with the current system of her teachers paying over $750 per year for each class to supply their children with school supplies. Many of the students in the IPS school system do not have the means for new school supplies and a large percentage of students come empty-handed at the beginning of the year.
Teachers’ Treasures is a “store” of new and gently used school and office supplies is donated and teachers can go shopping for the needs of their classroom. The benefit of Teachers’ Treasures is that this is a year-long program where needs can be met even when there are changes in the classroom.
Q: What is one unique way people can give to your organization?
A: We have had volunteers go and “dumpster dive” in Carmel schools. Many of these schoolchildren are willing to throw away perfectly good items like used binders, pencils, pens and notebooks that our teachers and their students could benefit from. One volunteer brought in 312 books that kids were assigned for reading one year.
Q: What is a big wish that many teachers have for their classroom?
A: File cabinets and desk chairs! Teachers’ Treasures does not currently have room in the warehouse but can pick them up from any location.
Q: Could you please numerate how much supplies you are giving away?
A: In August and September alone we gave away $1 million worth of supplies. Another example: we need 25,000 spiral notebooks to give each of our teachers five notebooks each. Last year we gave away over $4.5 million in supplies to teachers.
Q: How can YOU help?
A: Join us on Monument Circle for the IndyBar’s annual Teachers’ Treasures school supply drive on July 20! Buy extra school supplies when you are out shopping for the school year. Throwing away used pens or pencils? Drop those off! Together we can help some children in need!•
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