NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — In a matter of weeks, students across the region will be heading back to school, but before the first day of class, one store in Donelson is helping teachers get some much-needed supplies for their classrooms.
On the corner of Music Valley Drive, sits Smart Art and Craft Supplies.
"We are a nonprofit and our primary mission is to provide employment opportunities for adults with intellectual disabilities," volunteer Becky Bowman said.
A thrift store with all sorts of knick-knacks, but it's not just another place to shop.
"We are so much more than just a store. We really are a community of people who care about each other," Bowman said.
Caring about each other is why for the last couple of years, the organization has been hosting a school supply drive for teachers.
"When we do events like this we're partnering with our teachers and our educators who we dearly love. And we're giving them an opportunity to purchase supplies at extremely affordable rates to help support them and their efforts to get their classrooms set up and ready for this fall," Bowman said.
Come Monday, July 25, teachers can fill a whole bucket of school supplies for $19.95.
They can fill it with anything they want in the entire store," Bowman said.
Everything from construction paper to colored popsicle sticks.
Helping make it all happen is a team of faithful volunteers, but they said nothing would be possible without the community's help.
"Everything in the store is donated, and donations come from people all over the Middle Tennessee community," Bowman said.
