Crayons2Calculators, which joined the Durham Public Schools Foundation in January, is helping teachers prepare for the 2025-2026 school year with the “Fill That Bus!” school supply drive. This year, it runs July 7 to Aug. 8.
“‘Fill That Bus!’ is a pivotal drive for us, as it allows us to restock our shelves for the upcoming year,” said Eunice Sanders, C2C’s program manager. “This drive also provides a way for our community and local businesses to rally around our public schools and show their support for educators.” Sanders, a veteran educator, also recently served as interim principal at Hope Valley Elementary School after the departure of Jed Miller.
Paulette Davis, former AIG teacher and now the newly appointed assistant principal at Hope Valley, said events like Fill That Bus! make her feel seen, supported, and valued.
“Walking away with the supplies I needed wasn’t just about materials,” Davis said. “It was about knowing that someone believes in the work I do every day for my students.”
How Community and Local Businesses Can Participate
Host a Supply Drive
First, determine the dates of your supply drive – two to four weeks is recommended, with Sept. 1 as a cutoff.
Then, figure out how you want people to give, such as:
- Using pickup bins and donating supplies in person
- Donating through Amazon or Walmart wishlists
- Donate online via credit card or bank draft on the donation page
- Start a custom giving page to personalize your content
Set a goal and/or establish a theme for your supply drive. How many items to collect? How many bins to fill? What dollar value do you want to raise?
Donations can be dropped off Monday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the C2C warehouse at 808 Bacon St. after your supply drive ends.
Drop Off Items Directly to the Warehouse
Fill out this form when dropping off supplies. The most critical supplies include:
- 12-inch rulers
- Red ballpoint pens
- Chisel and fine tip dry-erase markers
- Highlighters
- 8-10 color marker packs
- Mechanical pencils
- Pencil boxes and cases
- Pencil grips
- Individual pencil sharpeners
- Permanent markers
- Two-pocket folders
- College-ruled composition books
- College-ruled one-subject spiral notebooks
- Construction paper
- Copy paper
- Dividers
- File folders
- Filler paper
- Graph paper
- Index cards
- Legal pads
- Post-Its
- Sheet protectors
- White Out or correction tape
Use Amazon
Shop the organization’s Amazon wishlist and then ship items directly to the warehouse.
Make a Monetary Gift
A donation of $25 can fill a backpack, while $100 could stock a classroom. Give at this link.
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Author: Wes Platt
Lead storyteller. Game designer and journalist. Recovering Floridian. Email: southpointaccessnews@gmail.com.
