Parish Banks, owner of Pristine Leadership Academy, found herself unsure of how to acquire the necessary supplies for her home daycare which was set to open soon. A curious twist of fate presented the solution when she noticed a Facebook post. The post mentioned a dumpster full of school supplies outside Carlos Fuentes Elementary School in the Avondale neighborhood.
The school, transitioning from the Acero Network to the Chicago Public Schools district, had discarded numerous items. These included classroom decor, chapter books, art supplies, toys, and textbooks. For Banks, these supplies were a perfect fit for her daycare in Grand Crossing, opening just the next day.
“This was needed. A lot of this stuff I’ve had to buy and get off Facebook Marketplace.”
Banks described her fortune as a “blessing” following her 30-minute drive to the North Side school. She was able to gather books, arts, crafts supplies, table organizers, and more. Grateful for the opportunity, she added that such resources would have cost her significantly.
The Facebook post also ignited a conversation about the burden on parents and guardians to supply new materials each academic year. Discarded supplies like these highlight the potential for reuse or donation, especially given increasing school material prices, up over 10% since July 2023.
With the Illinois government planning a 5% sales tax reduction on school supplies from August 7 to August 16, it’s crucial to address these wasteful practices. The National Retail Federation reports K-12 families anticipate spending approximately $863.86 on back-to-school items this year.
Banks faces rising costs in running a daycare, spanning organizational items to play-based curriculum materials. “Bins, literally things just to store, are $10 to $15,” she noted, emphasizing the financial strain.
“I’m over here dumpster diving for these books … for my young Black and brown people on the South Side of Chicago.”
Banks expressed gratitude for the supplies and wished the school had informed her prior to the disposal. Meanwhile, Ashley Di Bella, who shared the post online, intended to curb waste and benefit educators like Banks.
Di Bella highlighted the value of the materials, which included toys, science beakers, Play-Doh, and Magic Tree House series books. Her post informed the community, encouraging people to retrieve supplies instead of letting them end up in landfills.
Subsequently, Banks communicated with friends and colleagues, urging them to take advantage of the opportunity. “Girl, you need to get down here,” she said in a video call while showing the abundance of supplies available.