The Teacher’s Desk is the store where teachers shop free for books, school supplies and teacher resources for students in their classrooms. Its mission is to distribute free school supplies to students in need, to encourage teachers and to provide purpose through volunteerism.

Founder John Mika, retired autoworker, was working as a substitute teacher in urban and suburban Catholic schools and saw the difference in classroom supplies when comparing city to suburbs.  After a young boy at a Buffalo School ran up to John with a runny nose, he searched the teacher’s desk for a tissue and couldn’t find any.  He gave the boy his handkerchief and decided that every child deserved the same access to supplies, regardless of where they attended school.  John opened The Teacher’s Desk store in October, 2011 and together with a wonderful volunteer team has since distributed more than $10 million of product to teachers at schools in need throughout Western New York.  A box of facial tissue is the very first item each of the 6,000 teachers that will shop this school year receives for their students in need.

Mission Statement: The Teacher’s Desk is the store where teachers shop free for students in need existing to show others the goodness of God in 3 specific ways: distribute free school supplies to students in need, encourage teachers and provide purpose through volunteerism.

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The Teacher's Desk

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