School supplies. Photo by Laura Rivera on Unsplash

This article is part of LINK’s 2025 Back-To-School Guide. Find everything you need to know to start the school year off right here.

Nothing’s better than cracking open a fresh pack of pens and a new notebook (or is that just journalism nerds?).

While school supplies can be one of the most enjoyable parts of heading back to school after the summer break, they can also be quite pricey for parents and teachers. 

So, we’ve gathered a few options for finding free and discounted school supplies. Keep reading to find out. 

Supplies for teachers 

Adopt a Classroom

Through Adopt a Classroom, educators can create fundraising pages and register for specific items that they need. Donors, who may be individuals, non-profit organizations, or corporations, can donate to the educator. To register, you must be employed at an accredited K-12 school in the U.S. or at an accredited public preschool or preschool associated with an accredited school. Learn more at adoptaclassroom.org. 

Discounts galore 

There are plenty of discounts available to teachers for technology, like over 60% off a monthly Creative Cloud subscription and free Canva premium accounts, to clothing, including 30% discounts from Adidas, 15% off at Crocs and more. Plus, there are discounts on home goods like mattresses, meal subscription boxes and KitchenAid. Many media companies, like the Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post, offer a teacher discount. Even insurance and car rental companies have deals. Find all of these and more at weareteachers.com

Supplies for students 

Kids in Need Foundation

This organization donates school supplies to students in need and also allows teachers to shop for supplies for students at no cost to themselves. The program will provide a backpack full of essential school supplies to students. Parents who would like to participate in this program are asked to reach out to their student’s teacher, counselor or principal. The group also has a regional resource center in Dayton, Ohio called Crayons to Classrooms. Find more information at crayonstoclassrooms.org and kinf.org. 

Local churches and community centers

Keep an eye on your local churches and community centers, such as the Red Cross and YMCA, as some of them may offer help to families in need during back-to-school season. Organizations often alert local media about planned fundraisers, so stay tuned at linknky.com to learn about upcoming events. 

Operation Homefront

Operation Homefront supports military families through programs that offer financial help, long-term stability and ongoing support. The “Back-to-School Brigade” is the organization’s annual campaign that provides free school supplies and backpacks to military children. Since it began, the program has distributed over 550,000 backpacks nationwide. Find more information at operationhomefront.org. 

Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Cincinnati

The Boys and Girls Clubs collaborate with several national retailers to collect and distribute free back-to-school supplies to families in need. There are three chapter locations in Northern Kentucky, including Newport, Covington and Erlanger. For more information, visit bgcgc.org.Â