CINCINNATI — Demand has been high for school supplies since a local nonprofit switched to online ordering amid the pandemic, and volunteers are needed to fill and pack orders.
Crayons to Computers saw 340 orders in the first 18 hours of online ordering, president and CEO Amy Cheney said.
“And when we opened the window on Monday of this week for orders for next week we were able to take 120 orders, and it was filled up in less than 30 minutes. So it's been very, very popular,” Cheney said.
Teachers are typically able to “shop” at the nonprofit on Tennessee Avenue, but the pandemic has shifted the way Crayons to Computers has operated this school year.
In August, teachers could pick up a pre-packaged kit of supplies. By late September, the nonprofit had retrofitted the store so teachers could shop in person again. Now, as COVID-19 cases soar in Hamilton County, the nonprofit has switched to online ordering and curbside pickup.
Cheney said inventory is good despite the influx of orders; they have 80 different items available for teachers to order, including remote learning items like dry erase boards.
The nonprofit needs more volunteers to fill and pack the online orders, as most of the usual workers are retired teachers in the high-risk category for COVID-19.
Click here for more information on Crayons to Computers.
