As the first day of school approaches, local students are already getting a head start on success thanks to the generosity of our community.
This year, A Gift for Teaching joined Washington Shores Elementary for its Back-to-School Community Event to distribute backpacks filled with essential school supplies. The event welcomed students, families, and community partners to ensure all incoming Jaguars had the resources they need to walk into their classrooms feeling confident, prepared, and excited to learn.
The school received nearly 600 backpacks from The Great Big Backpack Build, where hundreds of corporate volunteers came together earlier this summer to assemble a total of 30,000 backpacks in just over one hour. Each backpack was filled with supplies such as notebooks, pencils, erasers, folders, and other learning necessities.
The remaining backpacks are being distributed to more than 140 high-need public schools in Orange County as well as Osceola County. For families in Central Florida, receiving one of these backpacks means more than checking supplies off a school shopping list. It helps ease the financial burden of back-to-school expenses while giving students a sense of confidence and belonging from day one.
But preparing students for success doesn’t stop with their school supplies.
Starting August 4th, A Gift for Teaching’s Free Teacher Supply Store is also welcoming educators back for the new school year! Eligible public school teachers can schedule shopping appointments to access free classroom materials, teaching tools, and resources that help transform empty classrooms into engaging learning environments. The store, along with other free teacher supply distribution services, will remain open throughout the 2026-2027 school year, providing ongoing support and helping to reduce the out-of-pocket expenses many teachers face.
Success starts with the right tools, for both students and teachers.
Every backpack distributed and every classroom supply provided helps create opportunities for our future leaders to succeed. When you support A Gift for Teaching, you’re investing in our community by ensuring students have what they need to learn and teachers have what they need to teach.
Keep Classrooms Stocked All Year Long
When the school year is underway, teachers continue to need pencils, notebooks, art supplies, and other resources. Your support ensures those supplies within reach throughout the year.
Become a Classroom Hero and help keep the shelves stocked all year long. Your monthly gift of $25 can provide reliable, ongoing support for hardworking classrooms across Central Florida.
