KYLE, Texas — After getting priced out, a teacher supply nonprofit is hoping to get a new operation location donated.
The Teacher Reuse gives supplies to teachers for free. Right now, all of those supplies are sitting in storage.
"We make sure that we get these in the hands of teachers by grade level, ages and capabilities," said Teacher Reuse Founder Shelly O'Donnell.
Since last week, retired teacher O'Donnell hasn't been able to do that. She said, last Monday, she was notified she had to leave her Kyle location because they couldn't afford rent.
"The Teacher Reuse supplies teachers with anything they need for the classroom," said O'Donnell. "So, bulletin board, border, any craft items, cubbies, totes, rugs, chairs, and it's all free."
While the supplies it gives out are free, its rent is not. She said board members paid $4,000 a month out of pocket for a few months. It was too much to handle. Now they need a free space to operate.
"What we're looking for is a donated space," said O'Donnell. "We are a nonprofit. Even if we find funding, we know that there's going to be a lot of expenses just running the operation."
Community members and retired teachers, like Teresa Chapa, donate the much-needed supplies.
"Teachers are continuously looking for fun and creative ways to better meet their children's needs," said Chapa. "Unfortunately, that costs money out of our pockets many times."
It's money O'Donnell said many teachers barely have.
"So, teaching 25 years, I had barely hit $60,000," said O'Donnell. "So, I know teachers that are starting out are making a lot more than what I did when I started, but inflation costs, of course, rise."
She said they've helped 27 districts and hundreds of teachers in Central Texas.
"It is so important that kiddos get this stuff," said O'Donnell. "It's not doing any good in here."
O'Donnell said the nonprofit has saved teachers over $70,000 since starting Aug. 1. She hopes to make that $1 million by the 2024-25 school year.