We serve 229 schools – public, parochial and charter schools – kindergarten through 12th grade, across Central Indiana, with 40% or more of the student population on the free or reduced lunch program.  That’s over 100,000 qualified school children.  

Every school district in Marion County has at least two schools that qualify for our services.

Teachers “shop” once a month during a designated week.  No value limits are put on the items they select.  Around 300 different items are in stock at any time, depending on the donations.  Everything is donated or purchased with contributions designated for that purpose and distributed to teachers free-of-charge. 

We offer everything from basic school supplies like paper, pencils, erasers and crayons to art and craft supplies, books, file cabinets and desk chairs and average 75 teachers shopping each day. The average taken per teacher is $330. In January 2009, we distributed $362,113 worth of products. 

We distribute nearly $2 million in products annually. There are four staff members and an annual operating budget of $220,000. 

Some of the products we distribute come from companies or organizations moving, re-branding, housecleaning or downsizing.  Other products come to us through the Kids In Need Foundation, of which we and 23 other centers are affiliates, but we are completely autonomous.