Tools For Schools is a reusable resource center located in Alachua County, Florida, providing new and gently used educational supplies to Alachua County Public School teachers at no cost. Tools for Schools operates with disadvantaged children in mind since many parents cannot afford the cost of a school lunch, let alone the necessary school supplies. Tools for Schools hopes to alleviate some of the economic pressure teachers are faced with every school year.
You can help! Every day, local businesses and households throw away countless items which still have educational value to them. Overruns and no longer needed supplies are just a few of the materials sent to the landfill instead of being reused. Imagine those items in the hands of eager students! They become useful supplies to help make math, science, and language arts concepts real.
Tools for Schools is a partnership of the Alachua County Board of County Commissioners and the Alachua County Public Schools that offers a place for teachers to shop for learning materials at no cost. Businesses and individuals provide the materials, and teachers visit the store to select items for their students.
View our Tools for Schools Amazon Wish List Here.
Finding a common bond between children, teachers, businesses, and citizens is challenging. Tools for Schools assists the community by providing students and teachers with the supplies needed for success. We help the environment by avoiding disposal of reusable items and conserving resources. Each year, in Alachua County, we throw away more than 160,000 tons of garbage. Sixty-five percent of this refuse comes from the commercial sector of our community and many of these items can, and should, be reused.
Tools for Schools aims to educate the community in recognizing the value of these materials and getting them into Alachua County classrooms. Our staff can help businesses and individuals recognize the beneficial portion of the waste stream. Please contact us and for guidelines and advice on how you can help.
As a principal, your participation is essential to the success of Tools for Schools. Please encourage your teachers to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to obtain free materials for their students.
To ensure the success of Tools for Schools, please use the following guidelines:
Alachua County public school teachers are allowed to shop once a month at either the main Tools for Schools Center or at the Tools for Schools Mobile Unit. Please visit the "Tools for Schools Schedule" page for hours of operation, directions and for more information.
Shopping hours:
The Tools for Schools center is open on Wednesday afternoons from 1:00pm-5:00pm during the school year. Any changes to these hours will be listed on the "Tools for Schools Schedule" page.
Store Policies:
How You Can Help
Donations to Tools for Schools come in all forms! small, large, traditional, and non-traditional!
Individuals can donate items they no longer use such as office supplies and equipment, school supplies, arts and crafts materials, facial tissues, paper towels and much more!
You can also hold a supply drive with your community organization, neighborhood, or workplace!
Or, if collecting items that are new or gently used is not your thing, a few dollars go a long way to bring the essential learning materials to a student in need by visiting our Amazon Wishlist for always needed classroom items.
We are always seeking volunteers to help in the Tools for Schools store during open hours. Fill out an application
All donations go directly to Alachua County Public School teachers-DONATE TODAY!
How Your Business Can Help
Tools for Schools offers a year-round opportunity for businesses, organizations and individuals to play an active role in our community. Everyone can provide school supplies, monetary donations or volunteer assistance to benefit the students and teachers in our schools. Join us in this partnership for Alachua County's children.
Here are some suggestions how, with little effort, your business can make a dramatic and positive difference in the lives of our kids.
Without a doubt, your business is a channel from us to other businesses. Spread the word and teach others to understand our needs and help us turn the trash from our business community into treasures for our children.
Call 352-374-5213 for details on how your business can help.
Supply Drives
Throughout the year, Tools for Schools will ask businesses to sponsor supply drives. They in turn will ask employees to donate new or gently used school supplies, such as pens, paper, markers, crayons, glue, notebooks, folders, and more. Alachua County employees ran the first supply drive and turned in enough materials to stock the store for the first three months. A continual supply is needed for these high-demand items can be found here on our Amazon wish list.
To sign up for our Back-to-School Supply Drive, please call 352-374-5213.
This is a basic list of suggested items that teachers always can use in the classroom. Just because we do not list it does not mean it would not make a great learning tool! Our Amazon wishlist can be found here, and donations new and used are always appreciated.
General Types of Materials Needed
non-traditional learning tools
factory seconds or rejects
production overruns
obsolete inventory/logo items
magnifying lenses
rock and mineral collections
rulers
microscopes
small countable items
calculators
geometric figures (tangrams)
magnets
School/Office Supplies
pencils
pens (black, blue or red)
markers
crayons
colored pencils
scissors
dry erase markers
staplers
glue/glue sticks/paste
paper (all kinds)
note cards
note pads
hole punches
2-pocket folders
paper clips
rubber bands
binder clips
tabbed dividers
labels
in/out trays
file folders
sheet protectors
chalk
craft paint (child safe paint)
paint brushes
dry-erase boards
Teacher Benefits
All teachers are familiar with the costly burden of supplying school materials for their classrooms every year. Tools for Schools lightens this burden by providing an abundance of educational tools at no cost. Public school teachers from the Alachua County School District have access to the center. Teachers can earn additional shopping days by volunteering.
Student Benefits
A lack of materials infringes upon a student's potential for learning and creativity. Tools for Schools provides Alachua County's teacher with a greater variety of essential materials, both traditional and non-traditional, at no cost for their students.
Business Benefits
Local businesses play an extremely valuable role in the community by becoming business partners and donating to Tools for Schools. Not only will the business reduce their amount of waste, but they will be providing free resources for educational use throughout the community. The Alachua County Commission and the School Board of Alachua County recognize these businesses as sponsors.
Community Benefits
What once reflected negative images of alcohol and tobacco sales is now a positive influence, benefiting local children and teachers. The old convenience store located next to Williams Elementary School, near Lincoln Middle School, is now Tools for Schools, a reusable resource center for teachers.
Environmental Benefits
Every day, valuable items are thrown away while resources are unnecessarily used to create new materials. By reusing materials, we can help our environment by conserving our natural resources and extending the life of our landfills. Help reduce waste, conserve resources, and save money!