Volunteers open school supply store for teachers in Our Town Forsyth

FORSYTH, Ill. (WCIA) — The school year is just about a month away. That means restocking on pencils, markets and notebooks may soon be on the top of your mind. Teachers will prepare to fill their classrooms with those things, but it’s not always easy to get there.

That’s where Crystal Hoadley and Jill Kelm in Our Town Forsyth come in.

“The multitude of items that teachers are needing and purchasing on their own is quite a bit,” Hoadley, a former educator, explained.

In her 19 years of teaching, Hoadley said she saw too many teachers pouring their own pockets into re-stocking their classrooms for students.

“You just understood, because out of the kindness of your own heart, you would provide for your students,” she said.

But, Hoadley didn’t want it to continue being a “norm.”

So, after seeing this CBS Evening News story , she teamed up with Kelm to create “Sunshine Supplies for Teachers.” It’s a non-profit aiming to fill the gap.

“We want to enhance what’s already being done, what we’re trying to do is ensure the basic supplies are there,” Kelm said.

They collect a variety of items new and gently used , then distribute the goodies to teachers in Macon and Piatt counties.

“We donated over 600 reading buddies to I think 10 different school districts. Some private, some public,” Kelm joyfully said.

The reactions from teachers and students alike are priceless.

“It’s a blessing, truly, to be able to see these teachers’ faces when we’re able to donate so much to their classroom,” Kelm said. “That’s a huge part of their budget.”

But, the two volunteers aren’t just stopping at dropping supplies off at schools, they have created an entire store . It just opened in Hickory Point Mall in Forsyth.

“We’ll be setting up that store to gear up for back to school and get that open as quick as possible so teachers can come in,” Kelm explained.

After paying for a $50 membership, teachers can go into the store once every month of the school year and get a cart full for free.

Kelm and Hoadley both just want to do what they can to fill a gap that affects everyone in one way or another.

“They are heroes, what they do every day is amazing,” Kelm said.

Sunshine Supplies for Teachers is bringing a big school bus to WCIA’s Our Town event in Forsyth on Friday, July 26. They want to fill it with all the goodies teachers and students need to have a successful year! You can stop by and drop off any items from 4-7 p.m. in Forsyth Park.

For a full list of the most needed items Sunshine Supplies is looking for, click this link .

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