Press release: Tuchman Family Foundation invests in ‘Supplies for Success’ for Aurora Public Schools educators
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Press release: Tuchman Family Foundation invests in ‘Supplies for Success’ for Aurora Public Schools educators
Grant helps APS Foundation stock its Educator Emporium with free classroom supplies for the 2026–27 school year
AURORA, CO — Through its Supplies for Success initiative, the Tuchman Family Foundation is helping stock the Educator Emporium, a free school-supply resource for Aurora Public Schools educators.
The investment allowed the Aurora Public Schools Foundation to place a major summer order after supplies were depleted during the previous school year. The order will provide approximately four months’ worth of classroom materials and help ensure the Educator Emporium is ready to welcome new and returning educators as they prepare for the 2026–27 school year.
Tuchman Family Foundation team members also volunteered at the Educator Emporium, helping unpack, sort, stock and organize supplies before educators begin shopping.
“Teachers know what their students need, but too often they have to use their own money to provide even the most basic classroom supplies,” said Debra Tuchman, co-founder of the Tuchman Family Foundation. “The Educator Emporium gives them a way to select the materials that will make the greatest difference for their students. We’re proud to help APS educators begin the school year prepared to focus on what matters most: helping every child learn and thrive.”
The Educator Emporium offers crayons, markers, scissors, construction paper, notebooks, folders, binders, dry-erase markers and boards, and other frequently requested classroom materials. Educators can shop at no cost during scheduled dates throughout the school year, beginning with dedicated shopping opportunities for new APS educators, returning educators and preschool staff before classes begin.
During the 2025–26 school year, the Educator Emporium served 411 individual educators through 606 visits. Educators from 63 schools participated, including classroom teachers from preschool through high school as well as special education teachers, counselors, English-language educators, therapists and other support staff.
“Teaching art means I have hundreds of students who go through supplies very quickly,” said Paulina Wilkerson, a visual arts teacher at Columbia Middle School and frequent Educator Emporium participant. “Our community and school don't always have the resources to replenish these supplies as quickly as we sometimes need them. This is why the Educator Emporium is so important. It gives our students the chance to have the basic necessities to continue creating and takes the stress off of me, as the educator, on how I am going to provide them.”
Aurora Public Schools serves more than 38,000 students, nearly three-quarters of whom qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The Educator Emporium helps address disparities in access to classroom resources by allowing teachers to select the supplies that best meet the needs of their students.
“The Tuchman Family Foundation’s investment allowed us to purchase the essentials our educators request most and begin the new school year with stocked shelves,” said Jill Ruiter, executive director of the Aurora Public Schools Foundation. “Their team also rolled up their sleeves and helped us prepare the space, making their support especially meaningful.”
APS Foundation continues to seek financial and in-kind contributions to replenish high-demand materials and make the resource available to more teachers. Community members can support the Educator Emporium through an online donation. Financial contributions allow APS Foundation to purchase supplies in bulk and direct funding toward the items educators need most.
About the Tuchman Family Foundation
Based in Colorado, the Tuchman Family Foundation embodies the entrepreneurial spirit of its founders, Kenneth and Debra Tuchman, in its efforts to help people build safe, healthy, and productive lives. The foundation is committed to advancing K-12 education innovation, breakthrough medical research, positive social change, community well-being, and environmental sustainability.
