A Gift for Teaching’s Free Teacher Supply Store Re-Opens to Help Hundreds of Teachers Get Ready for Back-to-School
According to the National Retail Federation, families can plan to spend a new record average of $890 for back-to-school shopping this year, with 39% planning to cut back in other areas of spending to cover the higher cost of school supplies. But for many families in Central Florida, there are no areas of spending to cut back, and getting their children ready to go back to school will be a challenge.
With the help of our community, this is where A Gift for Teaching steps in to support the community’s dedicated educators and future leaders.
More than 70% of schools in Central Florida are considered high-need, and thousands of their students will arrive on the first day of school with nothing in their hands. Knowing this, teachers often purchase supplies out of their own pockets to ensure every child in their class has an equal opportunity to start the school year with success.
In the first week of re-opening for the 2023-2024 school year, more than 540 Orange County public school teachers shopped at the Free Teacher Supply Store. In just three days, more than a quarter of a million dollars, $253,000 worth of educational supplies, were distributed to prepare empty classrooms for the first day of school.
Throughout the entire school year, A Gift for Teaching offers educators in the most under-resourced public schools an opportunity to shop every month for free educational resources at a store, online, or through a mobile unit. Click here for shopping eligibility and information.
More than $11 million worth of essentials were distributed last school year, and one-third of the supplies are collected and raised through A Gift for Teaching’s Ready for Back-to-School, a community giveback campaign presented by Walt Disney World Resort, aimed to help students start the school year excited and prepared to learn.
To make a difference for the entire year, and to keep our shelves stocked, consider becoming a member of The Honor Roll. With your commitment to an automatic recurring $25 monthly gift, three classrooms a year can have access to essential supplies that empower teachers and inspire future leaders.
