Parents and teachers struggle to afford rising costs of supplies

DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) — The National Retail Federation estimates families will spend $874.68 per child this back to school season. That number includes clothes, shoes, school supplies, and electronics. Parents and teachers are feeling the impacts of this first hand.

"You are waiting for all the prices to come out at Walmart, Target, Staples ... and every single year you notice those prices are going up," said Crystal Hoadley, former educator, mother, and co-founder of Sunshine Supplies for Teachers. "Being a parent looking to buy those particular supplies for my own children, we're now noticing things that were 25 cents are now 50 cents."

Hoadley said like many parents, she gets sticker shock when she puts everything on her kids' lists into her cart. While most parents try their best to provide the basics, items listed as "optional" on the lists — like paper towels and hand sanitizer — they often don't make it to the classroom. Educators fill in the gaps, purchasing these items as well as supplies for students who can't afford them.

Wendy Jalley, who has been teaching for 20 years, says she often provides these materials out of stock piles she's collected in previous years of teaching. But new teachers don't always have that.

"I feel bad for the new teachers who get the same amount of money as me to start a school year and they need so much more," said Jalley. "We all purchase supplies for our kiddos, all teachers do, you see a need and you fill it because you want them to feel successful."

Hoadley co-founded Sunshine Supplies for Teachers, a new non-profit based out a storefront at Hickory Point Mall. Jalley is a board member of the organization, which provides school supplies free to local teachers.

"It is so important for our community to focus on education for our community to continue to grow," said Jill Kelm, Co-founder of Sunshine Supplies for Teachers. "94% of teachers supplement their classroom ... in 2023 the average teacher spent 500 to 750 per year of their own money in their classroom."

Sunshine Supplies is hosting a 5K and Donut Dash Fun run on Sunday the 28th. Their will be a pack the bus event on that day so community members can bring in supplies. There will also be a raffle of items donated by the community. For more information, visit the Sunshine Supplies for Teachers Facebook page or website.