Our Program
Getting Tools To City Schools, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that procures and delivers free basic school supplies to low-income public schools in New York City. The procurement of school supplies involves purchasing (through fundraising) and collecting (through product drives). Our Brooklyn warehouse stores the supplies and readies them for distribution. The free supplies are delivered to low -income public schools via delivery truck and are distributed to teacher's classrooms with the help of volunteers. The teachers, in turn, pass out the free supplies to their students. Each student receives a brand new three-ring binder, lined paper, pencil, pens, pocket divider folders and a pencil pouch.
MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of Getting Tools to City Schools is to ensure that all low-income students in New York City public schools have the tools necessary to succeed by procuring and delivering free basic school supplies to their teachers at school.
THE PROBLEM AND THE SOLUTION
Over half of the 1.1 million children enrolled in our city's public schools can't afford lunch, much less basic school supplies. In fact, New York City teachers spend anywhere from $500-$2000 of their own money each year to buy basic supplies for their kids. Our services give low-income city kids the necessary tools they need to succeed in school. Students who are well-equipped stay connected to school. They earn better grades, receive higher test scores, have better attendance records and have a higher graduation rate. Without basic school supplies, most kids disconnect from school and fail. Poor academic performance is the single strongest school-related predictor of public school dropouts. Keeping New York City's kids in school reduces their rate of high-risk behaviors like sexual activity, early pregnancy, delinquency, crime, violence, alcohol/ drug abuse and suicide.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO RECIEVE THESE FREE SCHOOL SUPPLIES?
All New York City public schools (grades K-12), whose student body is receiving more than 90% of Title 1 Funding (The Federal Free Lunch in Schools Program) are eligible to receive our services. We work closely with the New York City Department of Education in identifying which schools qualify to receive our free school supplies.
