Art is a powerful tool for learning. It gives students a way to express their thoughts, think in new ways, and build confidence. This year, we celebrated World Art Day with a special opportunity for teachers to brighten their classrooms with even more free art supplies.

Thanks to the kind support of the Winifred Johnson Clive Foundation and the John R. and Ruth W. Gurtler Foundation, teachers visiting the Free Teacher Supply Store and Pencil Boy Express – The Mobile Free Store had the opportunity to shop for bonus items specific to the arts.

More than $9,100 worth of quality supplies was distributed to 187 teachers, allowing them to bring new hands-on, creative experiences to their students in the classroom.

The materials provide more than just a fun activity. It helps students build important life skills. When students draw, paint, or create something new, they learn how to solve problems, work with others, and share their thoughts in new ways. Art can also help students feel proud and confident, especially if they struggle in other subjects.

Unfortunately, not all classrooms have the supplies needed for these engaging activities. Teachers often buy materials with their own salary or go without.

This is where A Gift for Teaching is here to help. Our ArtWorks program not only keeps our shelves stocked with basic art supplies all year long, it provides packaged art lessons and curriculum to K-12 art teachers through free workshops in collaboration with Orange County Public Schools’ Visual & Performing Arts and The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art.

You can help more students continue to learn through art by becoming a Classroom Hero today! With $25 a month, less than a dollar a day, you can provide three classrooms with the supplies they need to make learning fun and meaningful for a full year.

By providing our teachers access to free art supplies, we make sure every student has a chance to learn, create, and succeed.