School on Wheels Supply Drives

Every child that we serve receives a NEW backpack filled with school supplies.

Thanks for your interest in running a supply drive to support our students who are experiencing homelessness! We are able to accept supplies both virtually and from in-person supply drives this year. Please see below for our details on our continued safety precautions due to COVID-19.

Virtual Supply Drives

You can support our virtual supply drive or create your own on the platform we are using, Roonga. Promote the School on Wheels virtual supply drive to your friends, co-workers, and family members OR create your own drive straight from ours by clicking the “Launch New Drive” button in the right-hand column under Team Drives and set personal goals for your community.

Please contact partnerships@schoolonwheels.org for additional support for your virtual supply drive.

In-Person Supply Drives

If you would like to do an in-person supply drive, perhaps at your school, office, or place of worship, please read and follow the below steps:

BEFORE AND DURING YOUR IN-PERSON DRIVE

  • Download our receptacle label (PDF) and promotional poster (PDF) and add your supply drive information. For additional details on the supplies we need the most, please refer to the lists at the bottom of this page.
  • Set a date, time, and location for the collection of the supplies to occur. If materials need to be sorted or prepped, consider setting the deadline a few days earlier to ensure you have enough time.
  • Find or purchase bins for supply collection and put labels on them.
  • Promote your drive by posting flyers at your school, place of work, local coffee shop, place of worship, or anywhere you can think of!
  • Promote your drive on social media or via email and tag us (@schoolonwheels). We recommend taking selfies with the collection bins!
  • Print School on Wheels recruitment flyers (PDF) and place them next to the collection bins to help raise awareness about students experiencing homelessness and the need for volunteer tutors. School supplies are just the start!
  • Post flyers near your collection location so everyone can find them easily.

AFTER YOUR IN-PERSON DRIVE

  • For safety reasons, our ability to support supply pick-ups or drop-offs is restricted. We can arrange a hand-off at our offices, however. Please contact us at supplies@schoolonwheels.org to arrange your drop-off at least 3-5 days in advance.
  • Please take the time to fill out our material donation form before dropping off everything you collected at your supply drive. Donations are tax-deductible.

Please email supplies@schoolonwheels.org if you have questions about logistics or supplies to be dropped off.

Student Wish Lists

Grades K – 5

  • Pencil cases
  • Markers, colored pencils, crayons
  • Erasers, pencil sharpeners
  • Wide-ruled paper
  • Headphones
  • Books
  • Puzzles
  • Science Kits
  • Backpacks and laptop cases: bright colors, characters, cartoons
  • Mini-dry erase boards and markers

Grades 6-8

  • Pencil cases
  • Pens, mechanical pencils, erasers
  • Binders
  • Homework folders
  • Flashcards
  • Graph paper
  • Mini staplers & staples
  • Book covers
  • Subject dividers
  • 3 x 5 notecards
  • Headphones
  • Books
  • Puzzles
  • Science Kits
  • Backpacks and laptop cases: Jansport, solid colors, patterns
  • Mini-dry erase boards and markers

Grades 9 – 12

  • Pencil cases
  • Pens, mechanical pencils, highlighters
  • Binders
  • Graphing paper
  • Laptops*
  • Mini staplers & staples
  • Scientific & graphing calculators*
  • Book covers
  • Subject dividers
  • 3 x 5 note cards
  • Headphones
  • Backpacks and laptop cases: Jansport, solid colors, patterns

*If you would like to donate laptops or calculators please contact digitallearning@schoolonwheels.org to arrange the donation.