UDWI REMC Community Fund Grant Helps Teachers Warehouse Purchase $2,000 in School Supplies for Educators
BLOOMFIELD, Ind. (April 17, 2025)— Teachers Warehouse (TW), a nonprofit organization serving public school educators, recently purchased $2,000 in school supplies for Greene County teachers. This was made possible with the help of the UDWI REMC Community Fund, Inc. grant, which was awarded to the organization this past quarter.
Teachers Warehouse was founded in 2004 with the mission to serve the educational needs of children in public schools by providing their teachers with materials that will make classroom lessons and school activities more interesting and effective. Although the organization started as a simple Bloomington Rotary Club project, aiming to provide free school supplies to teachers in Monroe County, it has since expanded to serve five counties— Monroe, Brown, Greene, Owen and Lawrence— as well as the Martinsville City Public School District.
“We want the community to recognize Teachers Warehouse as a valuable partner in promoting children’s success in school,” said Anne Bright, a Board Member for TW. She continued, commenting “Receiving monetary donations, such as what we received from UDWI, helps us get necessary school supplies into the hands of teachers and students, allowing students to be more engaged and high-achieving.”
As reported by the National Education Association, teachers spend hundreds of dollars every year on school supplies for their students out of their own pockets. According to Teachers Warehouse, their organization can cut these costs for educators, providing an estimated up to $300 worth of materials at no cost to teachers. These materials are varied and plentiful— from traditional school supplies to art and craft items, STEM equipment and even classroom furniture.
This school year, Teachers Warehouse has seen 1,101 educators make 2,402 shopping visits, receiving materials valued at $320,699 (data calculated by TW through April 11).
“Because we are an all-volunteer organization, we are always looking for community members willing to help out,” shared Anne Bright, when asked about opportunities to get involved with the organization. She went on to say, “We have multiple volunteering opportunities all the way from sorting, packaging, and stocking our shelves to picking up or delivering large donations from businesses. We encourage community members to visit us during regular hours for a tour and call our office staff to discuss volunteering.”
Teachers Warehouse is located at 524 N Fairview St, Bloomington, IN 47404 in a former alternative school building. Their business hours run from Monday through Thursday from 3:30 – 6 p.m. and Saturday from 9:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.. Outside of volunteer activities, Teachers Warehouse will also be holding a supply drive on Saturday, July 12, at the Kroger stores in Bloomington and at a Walmart location in Bedford.
“Getting involved with an organization like Teachers Warehouse, that is dedicated to serving educators and students, is so inspiring,” commented Doug Childs, CEO of UDWI REMC. He went on to say, “By awarding them the Community Fund grant, we hope to further their mission of supporting those in our members’ communities.”
The UDWI REMC Community Fund, Inc. allows cooperative members to give back to their communities by rounding up to the nearest whole dollar on their electric bills. The money accumulated is poured right back into local communities by awarding grants to various organizations.
The latest round of UDWI REMC Community Fund grant recipients included: Autism Rocks and Rolls Corporation, Bloomfield Elementary PTO, Eastern Greene Fire Territory, Franklin Township Community Volunteer Fire Department, Inc., God’s Hands In Action, Healthy Hearts WRV, Lawrence County Cancer Patient Services, Linton-Stockton School Corporation, Metropolitan School District of Shakamak, Teachers Warehouse, Inc., and Valley Mission Church of the Nazarene.
To learn more about Teachers Warehouse, including how to volunteer, donate, and support your local county school districts, visit www.teacherswarehouse.org, call 812-812-929-7522, or follow them on Facebook. The UDWI REMC Community Fund, Inc. is now accepting applications for its next grant cycle. All nonprofit businesses in UDWI REMC’s service area are encouraged to apply.