Miami-Dade teachers received a ton of free supplies to wrap up preparations for the next school year.
Thanks to the Education Fund and the Legacy Foundation, posters, pens, paper and cleaning materials were available for teachers.
Warehouse teachers told NBC 6 it was a blessing.
Brittany McKnight, a civics teacher at Miami-Dade Public Schools, says it helps classrooms in the long run.
“It helps them improve their learning, and for teachers, it helps them not go out of pocket,” she said.
Saving money is a priority with the price teachers pay for everything they need.
adoptaclassroom.org says teachers spent about $750 out of pocket last year to prepare their classrooms. They say this is the highest amount ever.
“Things have gotten really expensive, so the fact that we’re getting these things for free… that’s a plus,” McKnight said.
The Education Fund has been providing this type of assistance to teachers for 30 years. They receive donations from large corporations and individuals.
These supplies then go to the Ocean Bank Center for Educational Materials, where teachers can pick them up for free.
“Last year, we distributed $3 million worth of supplies,” said Education Fund President Linda Lecht. “We had over 3,000 teachers. This year, we plan to help more than 250,000 students by working with their teachers.
This year, a colorful donation was made in honor of Tyler Spann. He was 15 and died in Panama City.
More than 2,400 packets of crayons were donated to this event to honor him.
“Tyler’s football jersey was 24 and he loved coloring,” said Trina Long of the Legacy Donor Services Foundation.
Warehouse teachers on Tuesday say they are grateful for the donations. This helps them conclude their preparation in class.
“It’s impossible for us, we’re doing our best, but without Ocean Bank and the education fund, we couldn’t have done this,” said Dania Teygid, a Spanish teacher.
The warehouse, located at 6890 NW 76th St in Medley, is open year-round. MDPS teachers can go there twice a year to get free supplies.
You can register to participate here.
