Sylvia Bundy

More than twenty thousand students in the Portland Public school district are living in poverty. When they show up to school with empty hands they arrive at empty desks. Teachers spend an average of $1,700 out of pocket every year to get necessary learning supplies to their students. Sylvia Bundy helps make sure teachers have the best experience as possible when they are here and can find the supplies that they need.

Bundy volunteers several hours every week in the Free Store for Teachers. She has taken on the difficult task of managing the Teacher Resource section which includes, science and math manipulatives, text and reference books, educational games, puzzles and more. She also sorts and tallies donated supplies, works on organizing projects, stocks other Free Store Shelves, works with staff on process improvements, helps manage supply drive events and much more.

Bundy has helped hundreds of teachers and thousands of local students. She believes all youth deserve the tools needed to succeed in school regardless of their economic background. With the help of Bundy and others like her, more than $15.4 million worth of school supplies have been distributed to local classrooms.