In the 2024-2025 school year, these programs didn’t just meet expectations – they past them!

As enticing as the opportunity to shop for free supplies every month may be, we understand that teachers juggle countless priorities. Between lesson planning, grading, extracurriculars, and supporting their own families, finding time to visit our Free Teacher Supply Store can be a challenge.

Pencil Boy Programs was created with that in mind: to help ensure essential classroom supplies reach eligible educators wherever they are, on their schedule.

Pencil Boy Curbside is Convenience at Its Best

Teachers have ever-changing schedules and finding time to physically stroll through a store to shop for classroom supplies may not always be possible. Pencil Boy Curbside allows our teachers to order custom supply kits online, which are hand packed by volunteers, and conveniently pickup curbside at our Free Teacher Supply Store.

This year, demand for Pencil Boy Curbside remained at an all-time high, with every available custom supply order reserved each month. The VIP program service expanded to 20 schools, offering special benefits to those with the most orders and a dedicated contact to streamline the process. Additionally, we made access even easier by providing free delivery to the first five schools that submitted 25 or more orders.

Pencil Boy Express – The Mobile Free Store

Traveling to schools across Orange County, Pencil Boy Express makes it possible for teachers to shop for supplies without leaving their campuses. Throughout the school year, the mobile store made regular visits to nine high schools farthest from the Free Teacher Supply Store. Not only did these teachers receive core supplies, but they also gained access to art materials, unique donated items, and more.

Nearby schools are also invited to join in the shopping experience, and the program set a new record this year – serving 120 teachers in a single visit! Pencil Boy Express continues to break down barriers, ensuring that even educators who can’t reach our store can still equip their classrooms.

2024-2025 PENCIL BOY PROGRAMS BY THE NUMBERS

Total Teacher Shopping Visits
Goal: 4,250 –  Actual: 4,523

Total Value of Distribution
Goal: $1,350,000-  Actual: $1,450,000

Pencil Boy Programs exceeded expectations in the 2024-2025 school year, achieving goal-breaking results in teacher shopping visits and total value of supplies distributed. Whether through convenient curbside pickups or a free store on wheels that comes to them, teachers can continue to trust A Gift for Teaching as their primary source for free educational resources that they need to teach and inspire their students.

These programs are more than just a service – they are a promise. A promise that no teacher should struggle alone to provide for their students and classroom.

And you can help keep that promise! By becoming a Classroom Hero – a dedicated monthly donor – you can ensure that educators in our community always have the tools they need to inspire young minds.

Join us today, and be the hero that makes a lasting impact, month after month.