Ruths Reusable Resources

TO ENSURE THAT STUDENTS HAVE THE BASIC TOOLS FOR EDUCATION THROUGH DONATED SUPPLIES

DESPITE THE CHALLENGES OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, RUTH'S REUSABLE RESOURCES (3RS) CONTINUED TO ACCOMPLISH ITS MISSION TO PROVIDE SCHOOL CHILDREN ACROSS MAINE AND NEW HAMPSHIRE WITH THE SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS NECESSARY TO ACHIEVE A QUALITY EDUCATION. THROUGH ITS EFFORTS AND HARD WORK, 3RS REDIRECTED HUNDREDS OF BINDERS, NOTEBOOKS, COMPUTER AND I.T. EQUIPMENT, AND OTHER SUPPLIES AWAY FROM LANDFILLS AND INTO THE HANDS OF STUDENTS AND TEACHERS. 3RS THEREFORE ACCOMPLISHES MULTIPLE CRITICAL OBJECTIVES SIMULTANEOUSLY: THE ORGANIZATION BOLSTERS THE RESOURCES AND CAPITAL AVAILABLE TO SCHOOL SYSTEMS; LESSENS THE OVERALL FINANCIAL BURDEN PLACED ON TEACHERS AND SCHOOLS AND PARENTS; AND PROMOTES ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP.(CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)RUTH'S REUSABLE RESOURCES PURSUES ITS CORE MISSION TO PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH THE SUPPLIES NECESSARY FOR A QUALITY EDUCATION THROUGH FIVE PRIMARY PROGRAMS:1. THE TEACHER STORE2. THE COMPUTER RE-LIFE PROGRAM3. TOOLS FOR SCHOOL BACKPACK PROGRAM4. THE 4PUBLIC STORE5. ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIPTHE TEACHER STORE: THE HEART OF 3RS OPERATIONS, THE TEACHER STORE FUNCTIONS AS THE HUB OF THE ORGANIZATION'S PRIMARY MISSION TO PROVIDE SCHOOL SUPPLIES AND EDUCATIONAL TOOLS TO TEACHERS FOR USE BY STUDENTS IN THEIR CLASSROOMS. SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT NEW ENGLAND MAY BECOME A "MEMBER SCHOOL" OF 3RS. MEMBERSHIP ALLOWS TEACHERS FROM MEMBER-SCHOOLS TO VISIT THE STORE TO "SHOP" (AT NO COST TO THE TEACHER) FOR SCHOOL SUPPLIES, MATERIALS, AND EQUIPMENT. 3RS MAINTAINS A VAST AND WIDE VARIETY OF ALL MANNER OF EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS. THROUGH ITS TEACHER STORE, 3RS IS ABLE TO BOLSTER AND EQUIP DOZENS OF CLASSROOMS WITH THE SUPPLIES NECESSARY TO PROVIDE A QUALITY EDUCATION WHILE LESSENING THE FINANCIAL BURDEN PLACED ON MEMBER-TEACHERS. DURING THE PAST FISCAL YEAR, 3RS PROVIDED TEACHING SUPPLIES TO 213 SCHOOLS, SERVING OVER 66,000 STUDENTS.COMPUTER RE-LIFE PROGRAM: RUTH'S REUSABLE RESOURCES OCCASIONALLY RECEIVES USED, SLIGHTLY DATED, BUT STILL FUNCTIONAL COMPUTER EQUIPMENT FROM AREA BUSINESSES. THE COMPUTER RE-LIFE PROGRAM TESTS, CLEANS, AND REFURBISHES THESE DONATIONS FOR DISTRIBUTION THROUGHOUT NEW ENGLAND. THE COMPUTER RE-LIFE PROGRAM ALLOWS SCHOOLS AND NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS TO ACQUIRE QUALITY, REFURBISHED, READY-TO-USE COMPUTER EQUIPMENT AT COSTS FAR BELOW MARKET VALUE. WITHOUT THIS PROGRAM, MANY SCHOOLS WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO OFFER ADEQUATE I.T. RESOURCES TO THEIR STUDENTS. AS ONLINE-LEARNING AND THE NEED FOR INTERNET-ENABLED TECHNOLOGY BECOMES EVER MORE UBIQUITOUS (ESPECIALLY DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC), THE COMPUTER RE-LIFE PROGRAM'S IMPORTANCE TO 3RS AND THE COMMUNITY WILL ONLY CONTINUE TO GROW.TOOLS FOR SCHOOL BACKPACK PROGRAM: TOOLS FOR SCHOOL IS AN ANNUAL PROGRAM IN WHICH 3RS FILLS BACKPACKS WITH NEW SCHOOL SUPPLIES AND DISTRIBUTES THEM TO LOW INCOME STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF MAINE. THE BACKPACKS AND THE SUPPLIES TO FILL THEM ARE PRIMARILY RECEIVED AS IN KIND DONATIONS. HOWEVER, 3RS DOES PURCHASE SUPPLIES IN BULK WHEN NECESSARY TO ENSURE THAT EACH BACKPACK CONTAINS EXACTLY THE SAME SUPPLIES AS EVERY OTHER BACKPACK FOR A GIVEN GRADE RANGE. THE 4 PUBLIC STORE: THE 4 PUBLIC STORE IS A SMALL, THRIFT-TYPE STORE THAT IS OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. IT IS LOCATED IN THE SAME BUILDING AS THE TEACHER STORE, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO JUST MEMBER-TEACHERS. THE 4 PUBLIC STORE PRESENTS AN ECLECTIC MONTAGE OF VINTAGE MERCHANDISE, GLASSWARE, PHOTO FRAMES, PARTY AND WEDDING SUPPLIES, ART AND CRAFT SUPPLIES, AND MORE. THE STORE PROVIDES A TREASURE TROVE FOR CRAFTERS, ARTISTS, AND BARGAIN HUNTERS OF ALL WALKS OF LIFE WITH MERCHANDISE PRICED WELL BELOW ITS RETAIL-VALUE. PROCEEDS FROM THE 4 PUBLIC STORE HELP SUPPORT 3RS' CORE PROGRAMS WHILE BEING A SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY. WHILE ULTIMATELY A SMALL PART OF 3RS' OVERALL OPERATIONS, THE 4 PUBLIC STORE CONTINUES TO FURTHER 3RS' MISSIONS OF ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AND THE REUSE OF DISCARDED MATERIALS, WHILE ALSO FUNDING 3RS' PRIMARY EXEMPT MISSION.ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP: 3RS SOLICITS, COLLECTS, AND REDIRECTS OFFICE MATERIALS, BUSINESS SUPPLIES, AND COMPUTER AND SCIENTIFIC EQUIPMENT AWAY FROM LANDFILLS AND INTO CLASSROOMS ACROSS NEW ENGLAND. 3RS MAINTAINS A WAREHOUSE SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO PROCESS, CLEAN, REFURBISH, AND THEN REDISTRIBUTE DONATIONS AND ITEMS 3RS COLLECTS. ANY MATERIALS THAT ARE NOT FIT FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ARE BROKEN DOWN AND REPURPOSED OR RECYCLED. THIS PROCESS EXTENDS THE LIFE OF STILL USEABLE ITEMS, SUCH AS UNWANTED BINDERS, NOTEBOOKS, OR SLIGHTLY OUTDATED I.T. EQUIPMENT. BY FULFILLING ITS GOAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP, 3RS IS ABLE TO SIMULTANEOUSLY PROVIDE SUPPLIES TO STUDENTS AND TEACHERS WHO COULD NOT OTHERWISE AFFORD OR ACQUIRE THEM, WHILE ALSO REDUCING LANDFILL WASTE.ALL PRODUCTS REDISTRIBUTED TO SCHOOLS OR TO THE COMMUNITY THROUGH RUTH'S REUSABLE RESOURCES WERE RECEIVED AS DONATIONS AND GIFTS-IN-KIND; 3RS DOES NOT PURCHASE ANY OF ITS RECYCLED OR DISTRIBUTED SUPPLIES OR EQUIPMENT, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF SOME NOMINAL SCHOOL SUPPLIES TO ENSURE CONSISTENCY AND SUFFICIENT INVENTORY TO MAINTAIN THE BACKPACK PROGRAM.