KNOX COUNTY, Tenn. — Thanks to dozens of volunteers, Knox County teachers are able to shop for free “back to school” supplies this week.
The Teacher Supply Depot opened its doors Monday to social distance shopping.
The Teacher Supply Depot opened Monday for Knox County teachers under social distancing guidelines. 20 teachers at a time will be able to shop for one hour. Supply shelves are spread apart, masks are required and temperatures will be taken at door.
The depot is a teacher resource supported by the Knox Education Foundation, the community and schools. It helps teachers shoulder the financial strain of getting school supplies for their classrooms.
“Teachers do end up spending quite a bit out of their pocket,” said Rebecca Blevins, Donation Coordinator at Teacher Supply Depot. “So, we try to supplement that and take some of the burden off of them.”
Shopping is Monday, July 27 through Friday, July 31 at the Teacher Supply Depot in West Knoxville.
“Teachers will now have an opportunity to schedule an appointment. They can come in and shop for an hour. They can take anything that want in the depot. All the materials are free,” explained Connie Smith, Teacher Supply Depot PTA President.
The community is welcome to donate supplies onsite at 709 North Cedar Bluff Road.
You can call Teacher Supply Depot at 865.470.0750 to schedule a drop-off or leave items outside the door.
Here’s a list of school supplies the Depot accepts.
