Annual Art of Giving Foundation drive helps CPS teachers stock their classrooms

CHICAGO — The Art of Giving Foundation will soon hold its annual Chicago Public Schools supply drive.

The foundation has collected boxes of materials for schools in underserved areas. Saturday was packing day.

Volunteers assembled supply packages for teachers to later pick up.

In the past, teachers had to buy supplies for their classrooms with their own money. Now, various businesses and groups step up with donations.

The Art of Giving Foundation says they have supported over 2,000 classrooms, reaching more than 400 Chicago Public Schools teachers.

The teachers say the drive has made a huge difference in their classrooms.

“(The teachers) always write back saying that they’re so grateful and thankful for everything we’ve done because without the supplies we gave them, they wouldn’t have been able to do certain projects or host certain classes,” Autumn Pippenburg, the founder of the Art of Giving Foundation.  “Art specifically is one of those classes that often gets left behind because art supplies are so expensive.”

For more information on the Art of Giving Foundation or to sponsor a teacher, click here.