Bryan nonprofit hosts teacher shopping day

BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) – A Bryan-based nonprofit wants to give teachers a great start to the new school year with a shopping spree.

All Heart Inc. will host an Open Shopping Day at its Teacher Closet on Saturday, August 3 from 10 a.m. to noon.

The Teacher Closet is located at Morning Star storage – 425 North Harvey Mitchell Parkway in Bryan, and offers free classroom supplies to educators. That includes items like pens, pencils, folders, decorations and books.

Since the closet opened two years ago, it’s helped more than 300 teachers in the Brazos Valley and beyond, according to the closet’s director Monica Martinez.

“We, as a teacher closet team, have helped people from the Houston area to as far as San Antonio,” Martinez said.

The closet has been a great resource to seventh-grade science teacher Marissa Voigt. She said she loves creating an inviting atmosphere in her room, but it’s not cheap.

“It runs me anywhere between $500 to over $1,000 depending on what I’m purchasing, what I need for that year,” revealed Voigt. “Is there new curriculum out, is there new fancy teacher things that might make my job easier so I can spend more time with the kids?”

As she heads into her third year leading a classroom, Voigt said she spend close to $2,000 of personal funds in her first year. That amount would have been more without the Teacher Closet.

“I came out with a whole tote worth of folders, worth of pencils, pens, markers, expo markers,” Voigt boasted. “Anything you can think of that goes in the classroom.”

According to Martinez, every item in the closet is high quality and has been vetted by the Teacher Closet team.

To benefit, teachers must present a district ID or offer letter to shop.

“I want teachers to feel important, that we care about them and that we’re giving back to them,” added Martinez.

If you would like to donate items to the closet, you can reach out to the team via Facebook or drop off items at Snap Fitness in Bryan.

Following Saturday’s shopping day, the closet will move to Bryan Collegiate. This is a collaboration with the school and Bryan ISD.

Updates on when that will open can be found here. All teachers will be able to shop from that location with a district ID or offer letter.

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