PORTLAND, Maine (NEWS CENTER) — Twenty-two-years-ago, Ruth Libby opened up her home to get more basic school supplies to kids in need.
Now, she's running a full-fledged operation out of a warehouse Portland.
Ruth's Reusable Resources collects surplus supplies from local businesses and makes them available to teachers. It's all recycled and all free to students and teachers. The schools just pay a small membership fee.
Ruth Libby is constantly looking for donations of money from the public to keep the warehouse running, but one thing she said is clear: the need for what she provides is huge.
"Last Saturday when we reopened, there were 150 teachers here. Today, there is 80 to 90," Libby said. "The month of August is this way. And every line is a new set of teachers because they only get one visit in August, so we'll probably have 2,000 teachers coming from all over the state."
The store is full of supplies that many teachers might otherwise have to buy out of pocket. At also has plenty of the basics for the teachers to give to kids who can't afford the tools they need to learn.
Learn more or donate here.