‘Crayons to Classrooms’ needs warehouse space!

Crayons to Classrooms (C2C) is the wonderful organization that gathers and distributes school supplies at no cost to teachers in the Miami Valley.

The organization hosts a nonprofit free store for teachers from under-funded preK12 schools that serve students in Dayton. In partnership with local businesses, individual donors, and community volunteers, Crayons to Classrooms seeks to close the opportunity gap by securing and distributing school supplies at no cost to teachers of students in need.

The group serves over 2,000 teachers at 122 schools where 60 percent or more of their students participate in the National School Lunch Program. Since their opening in 2009, Crayons to Classrooms has distributed over $29 million worth of school supplies to teachers of students in need.

But while the organization is continuing to utilize the space it has, it’s currently having to turn down some types of donated products and supplies because of a lack of warehouse space.

As a result, in addition to our usual “Make a Difference” wish list of items our readers can donate, we’re also making a plea for someone in our area who might be able to provide the space or funding for 10,000 square feet of leased warehouse space by June 1, 2023, so that the organization can continue its important mission.

The background

In July 2021, the 7,000-square-foot warehouse facility previously donated to “Crayons to Classrooms” was leased to a new business. After losing this space, C2C has been limited in the amount of product they can accept from donors.

“While the good news is that in-kind donations are available, the sad news is that we cannot accept what is in the pipeline... we are at maximum capacity at our Woodman Drive location,” explained Steve Rubenstein, C2C executive director, “We need to address this issue as soon as possible.”

Dave Hargrove, C2C operations manager, said between June and August of 2022 alone, he has been forced to turn away over $1.2M worth of donations including disinfectant wipes, craft supplies, pens, pencils, erasers and other educational supplies. “We are turning away materials that Miami Valley teachers would have gratefully accepted for use in their classrooms,” he said. “This is a lost opportunity for the community.”

The organization is seeking funding that will ensure three years of rent, utilities, and use of that new warehouse space to address the needs of local schools, teachers, students, and families. Ideally, this space would be in the central part of Dayton.

You can still donate these types of supplies in smaller amounts:

■ Backpacks

■ Colored pencils

■ Crayons

■ Facial tissue

■ Folders

■ Glue/glue sticks

■ Markers

■ 70-ct spiral notebooks

■ Index cards

■ Filler paper

■ Pencils

■ Children’s scissors

■ Construction paper

Items can be dropped off at the Crayons to Classrooms store from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. To schedule a donation dropoff appointment, call Operations Manager Dave Hargrove at 937-528-6424. C2C is located at 1750 Woodman Drive, Dayton, OH 45420.

Other ways to help:

■ The organization has both remote and in-person volunteer opportunities. In the store, you could work as a shopping assistant, data entry volunteer, or create Classroom Solutions products such as die-cut shapes or sentence strips. Volunteer projects that can be done from your home or office include assembling journals for students and sewing “pocket hugs,” hats, and mittens. For more information about Crayons to Classrooms volunteering opportunities, visit www.crayonstoclassrooms.org/volunteers/.

■ To host a supply drive, email Dave Hargrove at d.hargrove@crayonstoclassrooms.org.

Contact C2C at www.crayonstoclassrooms.org/contact. Learn more about Crayons to Classrooms’ mission and how to get involved by visiting www.crayonstoclassrooms.org.

Make a difference

Meredith Moss writes about Dayton-area nonprofit organizations and their specific needs. If your group has a wish list it would like to share with our readers, contact Meredith: meredith. moss@coxinc.com.

Please include a daytime phone number and a photo that reflects your group’s mission.