Our Impact

Our Current Impact

69K

students

10K

teachers

191

schools

We believe a good education is one of the best opportunities a student has to reach their potential.

In classrooms throughout southwestern PA, we bridge the gap between what students have and what they need to succeed.

105,000+

 

105k+ local students don’t have basic school supplies

96%

96% of our students qualify for help

For families who are struggling to afford basic necessities, school supplies may not make the shopping list. Of the students we serve this year, 96% qualify for the National School Lunch Program, meaning that they likely don’t have access to even the most basic school supplies—the things that enable students to participate in learning activities and engage in class.

School budgets are increasingly under strain, especially in communities where student need is greatest. And when neither families nor schools can contribute, the financial burden falls on teachers themselves. A recent (2021) survey from the National Center for Education Statistics found that 94% of public school teachers spent their own money on supplies for their classrooms, investing an average of almost $1,000 each per year.
The Education Partnership is working to increase public awareness of its environmental sustainability opportunities for regional companies and individuals. In 2022, TEP distributed 680 pallets of in-kind donations, keeping 46,258 cubic feet of waste from entering landfills. The organization achieves this by accepting in-kind contributions of surplus products, office supplies, and company spoilage that is still usable but deemed unsellable for various reasons.

TEP has established environmental best practices for recycling waste product materials. This includes reusing and selling wooden pallets, using a baler to recycle cardboard, recycling plastic and paper, and scraping metal. In 2021, the baler allowed 18 dumpsters of cardboard to be recycled, approximately 2820 cubic volumes, and the organization's scrap metal recycling has currently recycled 720 cubic volumes in the current fiscal year. With these continued recycling initiatives, The Education Partnerships looks to increase its recycled material volumes, incorporating new, innovative approaches to assist with waste management.

Shoes and socks are on my students’ needs lists — not pencils and crayons. With the school supplies my students receive from The Education Partnership, my kids have the pencils and crayons they need to help them learn!

Sherine Raymond, Kindergarten Teacher

THIS IS A REAL PROBLEM IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND WE’RE RESPONDING WITH A SIMPLE, PROVEN SOLUTION:

School Supplies for a Brighter Future

HOW YOU CAN HELP ABOUT OUR WORK