TAMPA, Fla. — Florida has been named "America’s Inflation Hotspot," with the Tampa Bay area listed as the third highest according to the Consumer Price Index.

What You Need To Know

  • The Hillsborough Education Foundation provides teachers with free school supplies throughout the year

  • Some teachers are also using Amazon Wish Lists to stock classrooms

  • Alonso High School teacher Michelle Cherney said inflation has affected her, but thanks to the generosity of the community, she's able to get supplies for the upcoming school year

The higher costs affect all of us, but teachers are hit especially hard at the beginning of the school year when it’s time to stock up their classrooms for a new school year, forcing some teachers to get creative to cut back on out-of-pocket expenses.

“We’re checking in, Cherney,” said Alonso High School teacher, Michelle Cherney, as she checked in at the Hillsborough Education Foundation’s Teaching Tools Resource Center.

“I’m going to get classroom supplies. I typically come a couple times a semester to supply my kids with stuff they need,” she said. 

HEF’s Teaching Tools Resource Center is fully stocked with donated school supplies and Hillsborough County teachers can come “shop” for free. 

Cherney teaches reading and usually has close to 200 students.

“I work with kids who struggle with reading and I try to help them get their benchmark,” she said.

She said a lot of her students can’t afford the school supplies they need, and with inflation, neither can she, but HEF’s store helps.

Once she’s gotten all the supplies she needs, Cherney takes them back to Alonso High School to start setting up for her students. There, her classroom supply closet is well-stocked for the year.

“Basically, everything in this cabinet came from HEF. I have pencils, these are overflow pencils, there’s board decorations, there’s tape, everything. I would say 90% of this cabinet came from HEF,” she said.

The “Adopt a Hillsborough County Teacher” Facebook group has also been a big help. Cherney posted her Amazon Wish List and people purchased some of the items. Without the extra help, Cherney said none of this would be possible.

“You could get a pack of pencils in the past for like, a buck if I had to buy them and now, they’re probably $1.50 - $2, sometimes even more than that,” she said. “I haven’t looked this year because, like I said, I get everything from HEF. I haven’t really had to experience a lot of that, but even inflation for living costs has gone up. I spent $200 on groceries. I’ve never spent $200. I live alone, I’m by myself,” she said.

And while a lot of people are feeling the pinch, Cherney said thanks to the generosity of this community, her students can start the school year prepared.