In a world where parents can barely afford to pay for their children’s meals at school, it is certainly a hardship when those same parents are required to purchase school supplies.  In many instances, teachers spend hundreds (and even thousands) of dollars from their personal bank accounts to purchase the much-needed supplies for their students and classrooms.  While we have addressed the nutritional needs of the children in our area through our thriving Kids Cafe program, our community has a responsibility to address the needs of these same children in the classroom.  No student should be at-risk of failing in school simply because they lack the tools needed to succeed. 

Teacher’s Harvest is a school supply program that will begin at our Harbin Circle facility in 2009.  Local businesses and national retailers will gather unwanted supplies, surplus items, outdated product lines, and returned/slightly damaged merchandise that would normally be thrown away and donate them to the Teacher’s Harvest program.  Teachers at public schools where 60% or more of the students are on the free or reduced lunch program will be eligible to shop at the store one day per month; all items will be free-of-charge.  Donations including pencils, crayons, paper, glue, books, and backpacks will be stocked at all times.  When available we will also offer supplemental items such as videos, learning toys/games, storage containers, decorations, art supplies, file folders, and maps. 

In order to keep the Teacher’s Harvest program sustainable, staffing for the store will be volunteer-based.  At least once per year, Second Harvest will ask for community support in the form of a supply drive entitled “Push For Pencils.”  Local businesses and citizens will be asked to clean out their desks, shelves, briefcases, and “junk drawers,” and donate the unwanted items to Teacher’s Harvest.  New or gently used office supplies that are in good condition are priceless for the teachers who will be eligible for the program.  After Teacher’s Harvest has been operational for one full year, we will be eligible to apply for membership in the Kids In Need Foundation.  The foundation’s mission is to ensure that every child is prepared to learn and succeed by providing free school supplies nationally to students most in need.