Nonprofit of the month

All of us are familiar with some of the large, national nonprofit organizations that engage in fundraising and in promoting volunteering. The United Way, American Cancer Society, and the American Red Cross are examples. There are almost 900,000 nonprofit organizations and most of us are familiar with only a small fraction of them. In the Nonprofit of the Month, we will highlight organizations that are suggested by visitors to this Web site. They may be national in scope or within a single neighborhood. They may address a broad agenda or a single topic. The Nonprofit of the Month will present a cross section, showing the depth and breadth of the nonprofit sector and may give you an idea of an organization for which you may choose to volunteer. The recommendations are yours and we welcome your nominations.

Schoolhouse Supplies

www.schoolhousesupplies.org

Schoolhouse Supplies of Portland, Oregon is the Volunteer For Good Nonprofit of the Month. Schoolhouse Supplies collects surplus products from businesses and individuals in the community and uses these items to stock a unique volunteer-run store for Portland Public School teachers - where everything is free! Their program touches the lives of thousands of children in need and helps teachers create an exceptional learning environment.

Sponsored by the Portland Schools Foundation, Schoolhouse Supplies opened in January of 2000 and have grown from servicing 11 schools to all 130 Portland Public Schools and have distributed supplies with an estimated retail value of over $4 million. Their shelves are stocked with a tremendous variety of surplus items donated by hundreds of businesses in our community. 

Schoolhouse Supplies is an award-winning program that offers a unique way for businesses to reuse their surplus products (diverting these items from local landfills), receive a tax benefit and help thousands of students in need. They are supported by the generous financial, volunteer and in-kind support of the community. Development Director Ann Takamoto talks about the value of their volunteers. "We would not be able to do what we do without all the volunteer support we receive. Our volunteers are the glue sticks that hold us together! Schoolhouse Supplies offers a wide variety of volunteer opportunities for individuals, youth, and groups.  Our dedicated team of volunteers works to sort incoming donations, stock the shelves of our free store, and assist teachers as they shop." Their volunteer base of teachers, youth groups, community members and corporate partners help with needs in the warehouse and by providing professional and in-kind services.

Teachers who shop at the store find that it is just like any retail store - having shopping carts, bright displays and a variety of merchandise. The only difference is that there is no cash register! This store is a place of support and inspiration for teachers who regularly spend hundreds of dollars each year of their own money to purchase classroom materials that students and strained school budgets cannot provide. 

Schoolhouse Supplies' value to the community is summed up by former Portland Mayor Vera Katz, "A marvelous blend of education and community....Schoolhouse Supplies is a vital resource to our teachers and children in Portland."

Congratulations to Schoolhouse Supplies on being named the Volunteer For Good Nonprofit of the Month.