BACK TO SCHOOL: Pennsylvania company selling space saver desks at a discount to help school districts

PITTSBURGH — A Pennsylvania company is making space-saver desks and selling them at well below market cost to school districts.

There is a desk shortage, and many families and schools are trying to create safe spaces for their children to learn. The hope is that schools buy these desks and either use them in school or provide them to families on tight budgets.

“We started to learn about this shortage and knew immediately this was something we could absolutely do and help out with,” said Nick Friedhoff of HOFF Enterprises.

Nick Friedhoff is aware of the struggle many families are going through this school year, and in particular, the serious need for more school desks across the country. So now, HOFF Enterprises out of Johnstown will be reaching out to school districts across Pennsylvania to offer these desks.

“A lot that went into our design was to give a desk that is fully functioning but doesn’t take up too much space,” Friedhoff said.

He said there will be a few different types of desks available at different heights to accommodate different age groups. And the hope is that school districts will purchase these desks and use them in school but also give them to families who need them.

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And parents we spoke to today, hearing for the first time about what HOFF Enterprises is doing, said this could be a big help for those on a tight budget or like Megan Sanchez, who has three children and could use a space-saver desk like this in her home, especially for her 5-year-old.

“As a kindergartner, it’s hard. There’s a lot going on in a really small space,” said parent Megan Sanchez. “Right now, we’re pretty much just using our dining room table but that can be hard, just space wise.”

Friedhoff said the company is prepared to start shipping out these desks by the end of the week. And while their plan is to help out Pennsylvania school districts first, they also are prepared to ship these desks across the country

“If we’re shipping them across the country, it’s no new game for us to work with logistical companies to ship truckloads anywhere in the country,” Friedhoff said.

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