HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Local nonprofit, Free 2 Teach, received a $75,000 donation from the Madison County Commission, making it the largest single gift in the nonprofit’s 11-year history. In 2021, the commission donated $10,000 to the organization.
The donation will further support for public school teachers in Madison County by them giving supplies and resources for their students and classrooms. On average, teachers leave their monthly shop with $475 in supplies ranging from basics like crayons and paper to furniture and books.
Commission Chairman Dale Strong presented the check to Free 2 Teach Executive Director Alison Kling on Wednesday. “The work that Alison and her team at Free 2 Teach are doing to support teachers in our three public school systems is making an impact not only on our educators, but on our children, classrooms and schools,” says Strong. “Free 2 Teach is a vital nonprofit with a focused mission that we believe in: support teachers and give them what they need so that they can focus on teaching our kids, our future leaders.”
“I am absolutely overjoyed,” says Executive Director Alison Kling, "Students and teachers will benefit from the generosity and vision of Chairman Strong and the entire Commission for years to come."
Free 2 Teach plans to use the Commissions’ donation to purchase basic supplies, support store operations, and expand supply offerings based on teacher needs for high-impact lessons including new and state-of-the-art STEM materials, art supplies and Pre-K resources.
“This extraordinary generosity will have a tremendous impact on our mission to support teachers as well as support our growing and highly motivated organization,” says Kling. “We believe that teachers shouldn’t have to pay out of pocket for supplies and that students and their families shouldn’t have to worry about affording basic materials for lessons."
The nonprofit provides free resources to teachers in Madison County’s three public school systems. The resources are available to more than 3,900 full-time classroom teachers and their 54,000 students. The goal is that through these resources teachers can improve the educational experience of children and strengthen the future workforce.
Teachers in Madison County’s three public school systems can schedule their shop by visiting the nonprofit's scheduling page.