$25
Provides pencils for three classrooms teachers
Every day, classroom teachers are providing basic supplies to students to achieve academic success. Due to budget constraints, teachers reach into their own paycheck to pay for these necessary supplies. Social issues such as homelessness, foster care, domestic violence span every socio-economic sector and prevent children from attending school with the basic supplies to succeed. By providing teachers with needed supplies for free through the Teacher Resource Center at ScrapsKC, their classrooms can be a haven for at-risk children while providing consistency for learning.
Although educators are in need of classroom supplies for their students, corporations and businesses dispose of the same basic items due to surplus supplies and hybrid/remote work models. ScrapsKC bridges the gap between environmental and educational resource needed by transferring those unwanted supplies to teachers. Since 2016, ScrapsKC has given away almost 50.5 tons of unwanted school, office, art, science and STE(A)M materials valued at $237,000 and donated by corporations and community members to area teachers valued at $237,000. Our 2024 goal is to distribute 30 tons of materials valued at $141,000 to 2,000 teachers serving 50,000 students.
Together, We Can Do Better
Education
$860
average out-of-pocket teachers spend annually on school supplies
1,800
teachers who have received free school supplies from ScrapsKC since 2016
45,000
students have been impacted by free supplies from ScrapsKC since 2016
Environment
59,098
pounds of school and office supplies in 2023 diverted by ScrapsKC
515,000
sheets of notebook paper requested in one district for 2,925 students
11,100
washable markers requested for grades K-6 in a local elementary school
Reality
“
I haven’t received my first paycheck and I didn’t know how I was going to pay for my classroom supplies. - First year teacher
“
Do I pay my rent or buy my child’s school supplies? Parent to a middle school teacher
“
I teach art to 600 students. My budget this year is 50 cents per child. Elementary Art Teacher
What to Know
Teachers spend personal time searching for free and inexpensive supplies for their students and curriculum needs.
Donating unwanted school and office supplies to ScraspKC saves on janitorial and disposal costs and keeps working supplies in circulation.
Prepackaged school supply fundraisers discourage reusing of school supplies and create enormous amounts of waste annually.
Homeless
The Steven and Alexandra Cohen Foundation has granted $58,200 to ScrapsKC
to hire a social worker to provide homeless individuals, transitioning into housing, workplace opportunities and references.
122 unique homeless community members have made over 2,300 visits to ScrapsKC providing over 8,300 hours of service.
Our homeless community provides valuable skills to assist in processing donations and packaging supplies for our Teacher Resource Center.
“
Maybe if I had these supplies when I was in school I wouldn’t be homeless. - Homeless volunteer
“
If I lived near my children in Chicago, I would help them at their school.- Homeless volunteer
What Your Gift Can Do
$50
Provides crayons and glue sticks to one classroom teacher
$100
Provides a teacher with one year of supplies for one student
$500
Provides a teacher with supplies for one academic year ($1,000 value)