Mission & History
The Teacher Reuse Exchange (TRE) helps reduce the financial burden educators face while promoting environmental sustainability. Our mission is to provide an outlet for the donation, repurposing, and reuse of new and gently used materials from schools, businesses, community organizations, and individuals. By rescuing valuable resources from landfills and placing them back into the hands of teachers and nonprofits, we create a sustainable solution that supports education, strengthens our community, and protects the environment.
Since opening in 2020, the Teacher Reuse Exchange has expanded its reach beyond Forsyth County to serve educators across multiple Georgia counties and collaborate with nonprofits that face increasing demands on limited budgets. By providing affordable access to educational resources and supplies for teachers and working with nonprofit partners, we help maximize community resources while reducing waste. Together, we ensure valuable materials are repurposed and reused rather than ending up in landfills, creating a positive impact for education, nonprofits, and the environment.
Who Can Shop
- Forsyth County public, private, pre-k and homeschool teachers.
- Forsyth County residents that teach outside the county at a public, private or pre-k school.
- Hall (incl. Gainesville City), Dawson, Pickens, Lumpkin, Cherokee, Gilmer, Gwinnett and Fulton County public, private and pre-k teachers.
- Teaching students enrolled at University of North GA (UNG).
- Nonprofit organizations serving children with 501(c)(3) status in good standing.
Special Shopping Request Form. Are you an educator at a school outside of our service areas? Are you a group seeking supplies for a volunteer project and thinking about backing the TRE?
While we cannot assure approval for every request, we will make every effort to fulfill them. Shopping fees apply.
Read - Community Impact Spotlight: How Reuse is Empowering Learning Across Georgia, GALA Focus Newsletter Spring 2026
Need
Investing hundreds of dollars from their own pockets each year to support their students is a time-honored tradition for teachers.
- Well over 90 percent of teachers spend their own money on school supplies and other items their students need to succeed. Source
- A 2025 national teacher survey found the average out-of-pocket spending on school supplies was $895 during the 2024–2025 school year, up 49%. Source
However, educators who dip into their own funds for school supplies express a sense of obligation to provide essential materials to create a welcoming and comfortable classroom environment for their students, ultimately enhancing their learning experience.
New school supplies contribute significantly to environmental impact, especially with the increasing plastic pollution worldwide. Thick plastic materials are commonly used in school supplies, contaminating landfills and taking hundreds of years to decompose. Earthday.org reports that two garbage trucks of plastic enter landfills every minute, emphasizing the severity of the issue. Ciel.org highlights that 99% of plastic is derived from fossil fuel chemicals, adding to landfill and air pollution.
Source
Location & Hours
Location to Shop & Donate Items:
101 Meadow Drive, Suite 2T
Cumming, GA 30040 (not mailing)
**Suite 2T is located in BACK of SHOPPING PLAZA. Click here for more information.**
Mailing Address (not physical location):
35 Duffy Drive
McDonough, GA 30252
Call-Text & Email:
678-622-5872 (Lisa)
770-490-1083 (Denise)
teacherreuseexchange@gmail.com
Shopping & Donations:
Tuesdays & Thursdays - 11am to 6pm
Saturdays 6/27, 7/18 & 7/25
10:30am to 2:30pm
Back to School Shopping has Started!
Donations & Recycling
- List of unaccepted items.
- YOU DO NOT NEED APPOINTMENT TO DONATE - PLEASE TEXT US BEFORE COMING. THANK YOU.
- Please DO NOT leave items at door.
- The TRE is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit recognized by the IRS. Donations are tax deductible as provided by law.
We are committed to diverting materials from the landfill. Donations that are not reusable by the TRE will be donated to another worthy organization. Since opening we have recycled over 6 tons of scrap books, paper and cardboard.
Shopping Fees
Shopping fees make a big difference! They help us stay open and continue serving our community. We’re also looking for sponsors and additional funding to help cover our basic expenses, including one staff member, rent, utilities, and insurance. To learn more, Contact Us. Thank you for helping us make an impact!
Effective 11/1/2025:
$20 – Per Bag (Max 3 bags)
$10 - Items Too Large for a Bag
(Max 10 items)
Please Note:
- TRE-provided bags only.
- Certain items are priced and are an additional fee.
- Plastic tubs may not be used to shop.
- There are limits on certain items. If you need more of an item - please ask.
- Have questions? Feel free to ask while you shop for treasures at the TRE.
Shopping
June 2026 Shopping
July 2026 Shopping
TRE's treasures not only support teachers, they support many nonprofits serving children in Georgia.
