ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Every year since 1998 the nonprofit A Gift for Teaching provides free school supplies to teachers and students.
The nonprofit provides Orange and Osceola teachers and their students with essentials to make sure they have a successful school year.
In June, A Gift for Teaching held its annual event, the Great Big Backpack Build during which volunteers stuffed thousands of backpacks with school supplies and delivered the bags to schools.
According to the National Education Association, teachers send an average of $500 of their own money to supply their classrooms. According to A Gift for Teaching, there are more than 20,000 students in Central Florida at or below the poverty line with 17,000 children who are homeless.
In August 2020, News 6 viewers helped raise more than $38,000 for A Gift For Teaching.
This year, News 6 will team up with Todd Miner’s law firm to raise funds for A Gift for Teaching during a telethon on Aug. 26.
Viewers can make their gifts online at agiftforteaching.org/telethon, or by calling 888-436-6665 from 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
To learn more about the nonprofit, including how to volunteer and donate, click here.