Schools are collecting and distributing school supplies to students in need. | Jessica Palombo, Jacksonville Today
Published on August 4, 2026 at 6:18 pm
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Just ahead of the Aug. 10 start date for this school year, a couple of Jacksonville Today readers have asked us how they can donate supplies to their local schools.
Every year, students are asked to bring their own supplies, and teachers sometimes spend their own money to cover students who can’t afford them. Teachers also often buy their own classroom supplies, including everything from cheerful decorations to utilitarian necessities like ceiling light covers.
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Some Jacksonville Today readers want to help. They ask:
“I read your article on receiving donated school supplies. I would like to donate some. How can I do this?”
Multiple readers
A: Contact your local school to ask them how to donate.
In an email, Duval Schools spokesperson Lauren Ricks says schools across the district are working with community partners to host supply giveaways. “We don’t have a central database of these events, but I highly recommend families reach out to their schools directly for guidance,” Ricks says.
Marilyn M. Barnwell, the principal of Alfred I. Dupont Middle School, says anyone interested in donating can do so by stopping by. “When people want to donate,” she says, “they’ll just bring it to the main office.”
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Elizabeth Stewart, the principal at Arlington Elementary School, has an Amazon wishlist of school and classroom supplies. “We are a Title I school,” she says. “What we ask for from our parents doesn’t always come in…We do what we can with what we have, and we do the best for our students. Any additional help is appreciated.”
Some schools are also benefiting from local businesses’ and nonprofits’ supply drives. Schools like Central Riverside Elementary, Kernan Trail Elementary, Ridgeview Elementary and more will receive supplies from Radifi Credit Union, which is accepting donations at their various branches for schools until Friday, Aug. 7.
