Parents, guardians, and generous folks often donate school supplies at the beginning of the year to help back-to-school efforts. While this is a noble deed, more is needed to assist with students' education, as many teachers spend their hard-earned money to ensure their kids have what they need in the classroom.
Therefore, it’s important to know where to donate school supplies and why you should. We will explore the answer to both of those questions.
Supporting Students and Teachers
A great reason to donate school supplies is to support students and teachers. With the proper tools, students can learn much more effectively. Educators can also teach to the best of their abilities with these learning aids.
Let's look at pencils and paper, for example. We may take these humble tools for granted, considering they're cost-effective for most folks. Many studies show how writing allows people to recall information better, which makes it the key for young minds in the classroom.
These basic supplies are necessary for students to avoid potential roadblocks during lessons. If they cannot practice spelling or math, they may struggle more with learning certain words or equations. By making charitable contributions, you set students up for more success.
Where To Donate
Now that you know why students need school supplies, let’s look at where you should donate them.
Your School
Donating to your local school can be a great way to help, especially if you’re a parent, guardian, or grandparent. You can make charitable contributions to help your child’s classroom and peers directly. It’s a good idea to contact the teacher to discover what supplies would be most helpful.
Even if you don’t have kids, you may want to donate to the schools you attended in your youth. This is an admirable way to help give back to the teachers who helped you grow intellectually.
Local School Supply Drives
With the holidays just around the corner, now is a great time to donate to school supply drives in the area. Even if you don't know any children attending school, you can make a difference in the lives of both students and teachers. To find where to help, search the internet for nearby school drives.
Charity Organizations
You can expand your efforts when looking for nonprofit organizations dedicated to assisting students. You’ll help children on a global scale when making contributions to organizations like UNICEF.
Other groups specialize in certain supplies, including:
- Leveling the Playing Field (sporting equipment to help with PE)
- Compudopt (supplies students with computers in the US)
- AdoptAClassroom.org (donates general supplies and offers grants for certain causes, like science or art)
Supplies Schools Need Most
To make a positive impact, it’s important to know which supplies schools need most before making direct donations. While they can vary depending on the school or organization, here are some popular choices that make a difference in most classrooms:
- Backpacks
- Calculators
- Paper and notebooks
- Pens and pencils
- Markers
- Folders
Backpacks USA offers school supplies in bulk, making it easy for you to create positive change in the lives of many students. We have various high-quality wholesale options, ranging from toys to winter accessories.