These Teens Saw School Supplies Going to Waste—Then Created a Hopeful Global Movement
Two teens turned their frustration with school waste into a hopeful mission reaching 53 countries
Key Takeaways
- Two high school freshmen launched Restoring Rainbows to repurpose discarded school supplies.
- The student-led nonprofit now spans over 3,000 volunteers across 53 countries worldwide.
- Restoring Rainbows has delivered free refurbished supplies to nearly 20,000 students in need.
Freshmen Grace Millard and Jordan Chen were in the hallway of their Woodbridge, Connecticut, high school when Grace spotted a pencil on the floor, unused except for its blunt tip.
“What a waste,” she sighed, picking it up. “It just needs to be sharpened.”
Grace and Jordan had been elementary school classmates, and they’d recently reconnected because of their shared passion for the environment and sustainability. What bonded them most was their frustration with waste all over the school: old paperbacks, half-used notebooks, art supplies and poster boards discarded because people had no further use for them.
“The sad thing is I see GoFundMe campaigns for schools begging for money to buy supplies,” Grace told Jordan that evening as they sat doing homework.
“Connecticut is the No. 1 state for school inequality,” Jordan reminded her, and that was when the idea struck.
“Think of all the places that use supplies and then toss leftovers,” Grace said. “What if we collected it, refurbished it and then passed it along to schools that need help?”
They compiled a roster of local libraries and museums that might be receptive.
“We’re collecting used and unused school supplies we can refurbish and give to needy students,” they began in their email campaign, and they didn’t have to wait long for a response.
“We have a box full of half-used markers—you’re welcome to them,” one message read.
Then a library reached out with 200 children’s books it no longer had space for.
The teens built a website and named their nonprofit Restoring Rainbows.
“Rainbows are a sign of hope and renewal,” Grace told Jordan, and the two added the name to donation bins they placed around town.
As word spread, donations began to pour in. So did offers to help. Some came from far away.
“How can I start something like this in my town?” they asked.
Grace wrote guides on how to get started, find partners and distribute donations.
In just two years, Restoring Rainbows has grown to more than 3,000 volunteers in 53 countries around the world.
To date, they’ve provided supplies to nearly 20,000 needy students.
“We can help save the environment while helping schools get the supplies they need at no cost,” says Grace.
“If you have an idea you care about, there’s never a more perfect time to start than now.”
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