I began volunteering at Ruth's in 2005 when they were still working out of Bessey School in Scarborough, Maine. At first, I wanted to be involved to get the experience of volunteering. One day, a first grade teacher came in and said that she didn't know how she would get books for her kids if it weren't for Ruth's. I love children, so hearing this made me want to continue to help out. Seeing the community support Ruth's as they were faced with the challenge of having to move out of the Bessey school was also very touching. People and corporations came along side Ruth's to make sure that this amazing resource would not have to close it's doors. Today, Ruth's not only puts supplies into the hands of teachers (which then go to children); now, non-profits and the general public are able to benefit from the donated supplies. The non-profit members of Ruth's have a huge impact on my community - the new public store allows Maine's small business owners a place to go to get discounted supplies, and saves them TONS of money. I could go on and on about Ruth's, but the best way to learn about what they do is to go there and check it out for yourself. There should be a resource center in every major city in the U.S. - Why do businesses throw away brand new supplies? Why should we allow those things to clutter up landfills? If you are "Green", you'll LOVE Ruth's. If you are an educator - you'll NEED Ruth's, and if you are an artist, you won't believe the number of items available to you. Check it out!