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posted by: Steph
| August 02, 2010, 03:14 PM
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The economic downturn doesn’t have to adversely affect schools thanks to efforts by local innovators who find ways to help schools, teachers, and students get the supplies they need.
The schools of Montgomery County, Maryland, have benefited from innovator Louise Newcomer who founded Drive for Supplies, an organization that keeps unused supplies out of landfills and puts them in the hands of students who will use them.
In 1999 Newcomer came up with the idea to collect unused or unwanted supplies from students at the conclusion of the school year and ship them to needy students overseas. Since that time, the program has evolved to assess and provide for the needs of local schools and students. This year more than 24,000 pounds of supplies were collected and distributed to families, nonprofits, and county schools.
iLoveSchools.com is another innovator to help America’s schools go green and save in the process. It’s “a zero-cost service that connects [educators] to donors who give new and used goods, in-kind resources, volunteer time, and funds.” Educators can create a wish list, and the organization works to find monetary and material donations to help meet educators’ needs. Educators can also browse the DonorOffer board to find donated items waiting to be used. All resources distributed by iLoveSchools.com must be used by students or directly provide an educational experience among students. All teachers and schools that teach students between pre-K-12th grade within the Continental United States, Hawaii, and Alaska are welcome to register and build WishLists.
Do you know of other organizations that help classrooms save money while going green?
Where do you find used/reusable supplies for your classroom?
Comment below.
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