by Barbara Stanley

Created on: April 21, 2009   Last Updated: May 11, 2009

Most people have little knowledge of the supplies needed and used in their children's classrooms each year. Most teachers buy supplies with their own money whenever they can afford to. In the primary and elementary grades, most teachers keep a supply of scissors, pencils, glue, construction paper, loose leaf paper, and colored pencils for students who can not afford to buy these supplies and as replacements during the school year. Supplies do not always mean pencils and paper, either. Tissues for runny noses, hand sanitizers, and band-aids are a few of the necessary items needed during the year. For special school projects during the year, craft supplies are needed. These items get expensive for one person to handle by herself. There are places to go to to find free supplies.

Local businesses are usually most willing to donate supplies to the classrooms. Their employees have children or grandchildren attending these schools and it is good business to donate to the cause of education. Because banks, real estate offices, grocery stores, and department stores such as Wal-Mart, buy pens and pencils in bulk to give to their clients or consumers, the cost is minimal for them to donate these items to several classrooms. They also have notepads, paper clips, and tape that teachers could use. Hardware stores will donate rulers and some craft materials. All businesses, of course, are engaging in free advertising when they donate items with their names, phone numbers, and logo printed on the pencils and such. This is a fair trade for receiving what is needed at no cost.

Many businesses are willing to donate larger items to make up a really nice gift basket as a raffle prize that a classroom can use to raise money for classroom supplies. This type of action must always be cleared with the Principal and Superintendent of Education to ensure there are no implications of wrong-doing. Parents who can easily afford to adopt their child's classroom for the year can check in with the teacher once a month for a list of supplies needed.

By going online, the possibilities of businesses and websites willing to donate or sponsor free school supplies is nearly endless. There are dozens of sites such as Familyfunmag.com, momszone.com, and Christianbookdistributors.com, that will donate to classrooms or sponsor a school. Some online sites like Oriental Trading offer seasonal pencils, pens, erasers, paste, and more in bulk or by the case for a greatly reduced price. Several teachers

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