Teachers, students start the school year right with Stuff the Bus donations

TAMPA, Fla. (FOX 13) - It's a good day for teacher Dolores Williams anytime she can shop for school supplies at the Hillsborough Education Foundation's Teaching Tools store.

"Anything you can get for free that I can use for my school, for my babies, yes, I'm excited," said Williams.

The store, located inside the foundation, allows teachers of Title 1 schools to shop for school supplies at no cost. The supplies are donated by the community.

Teacher Maria Carvalho shops for herself as well as other teachers and students. 

"The beginning of the year, we always spend our money because you have to decorate the classroom, get it organized. We don't know which parents will be able to bring things," said Carvalho.

"Teachers being able to come here every month to shop they can keep those supplies replenished in the classroom every month so the kids never go without," said Michael McCollum with the Hillsborough Education Foundation.

FOX 13 viewers were a huge help, donating school supplies during Stuff The Bus drives.

"This year, thanks to the generosity of the community, we raised nearly 4,000 pounds of school supplies. Two tons. We more than doubled what we were able to raise the year before," said McCollum.

"I do not know how to express my 'thank you' to them because it's so much that they give us that I just want to thank them, hug them," said Carvalho.

The Teaching Tools store could always use more donations and volunteers. For more information, visit https://www.educationfoundation.com/teaching-tools-store