Education Partnership making sure students will have supplies they need for school

As children head back to class, a local nonprofit is making sure 55,000 students in our area will have the supplies they need. 11 Cares will host Pack the Bus later this week and learned a single donation could make all the difference.

"Markers, crayons and glue sticks, those are the needed things that teachers need throughout the year," said second grade Clairton teacher Kristen Hecker.

Hecker was one of the thousands of teachers from 139 different schools in our area who flocked to the Education Partnership Warehouse on Pittsburgh's West End to pick up classroom essentials.

The Education Partnership is a local nonprofit that distributes school supplies to 4,500 teachers who are then given to 55,000 students.

The Education Partnership's executive director Josh Whiteside, said the organizations works with many schools that have students who qualify for free or reduced lunch throughout southwestern Pennsylvania.

"The one thing that our schools have in common is at least 70% of their student body is enrolled in National School Lunch Program," said Whiteside. "This year we'll distribute $4.5 million worth of school supplies, which 95% come donated."

Hecker said like many teachers, she spends a lot of her own money on school supplies throughout the school year.

"Paper towels, folders, glue sticks, markers, some hand sanitizers," said Hecker.

Donations received at the Education Partnership are allowing Hecker and others to stretch their dollars for their classrooms.

Westinghouse Academy teacher Patricia Frey said this is the first year she is participating with the nonprofit and is excited she will be able to get other treats for her classroom.

"It's a little bit more money that we can spend on other things, like treats, rewards for them (students)," said Frey.

At the Education Partnership building known to teachers as the Resource Center, they are allowed to come to pick up supplies twice a year. Teachers are given a certain number of "core supplies" like pencils, notebooks and folders. Then they also have the chance to pick from the unlimited "incentive items," which are books and office and craft supplies.

Whiteside said teachers leave a single shopping trip with about $500 worth of supplies from the warehouse. He encourages people to "Pack the Bus" and added the smallest donation would make a difference in a student's life.

Hecker said it takes a community to raise a child "even if it's one pack or crayons or one ream of paper, anything helps."

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