NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A Nashville nonprofit is helping teachers and students save hundreds of dollars on school supplies by transforming discarded materials into classroom resources.
At Turnip Green Creative Reuse, teachers can get everything from construction paper to hundreds of toilet paper rolls for creative classroom projects. The nonprofit diverts tons of materials from landfills straight into the hands of Middle Tennessee students and teachers who need affordable supplies.
Turnip Green gives teachers access to supplies they can't find anywhere else. The nonprofit processes donations from the community, organizing everything from fabric and ribbons to notebooks and binders.
"Teachers have a very strict budget, and they also can only shop on certain websites. By providing this opportunity for them, they're able to come here and really be creative with what they're doing in their classroom," Executive Director Erin Body said.
Students benefit too — getting important essentials like lined paper for as low as $2 instead of paying full retail prices. The store operates on a pay-what-you-can model, making creative materials accessible to families regardless of income.
"There are a lot of teachers who do have really small budgets that just wouldn't be able to support their classrooms in the ways that they can with Turnip Green as a resource," Creative Manager Calloway Bailey said.
The store is open Tuesday through Saturday, and they're always accepting donations. If you have craft supplies, office materials, or even unusual items taking up space, they can probably find a creative use for them.
The store also helps more than just teachers and students. Local artists use it for supplies, including one who just had work featured in a local museum.
Artist Shabazz Larkin recently had quilts displayed at the Frist Art Museum's "Fabric of a Nation" exhibit — quilts made from discarded materials he found at Turnip Green Creative Reuse.
Larkin created portraits of Maya Angelou and his own son using fabric scraps, ribbons, and textiles that would have otherwise ended up in landfills. His work was showcased alongside quilts that are hundreds of years old.
The multimedia artist said the creative reuse center sparks his imagination in ways traditional art supply stores cannot.
"When you go to Turnip Green, you can find the materials and the vision comes. You see these old things and imagine what was this. it kind of can really light up your imagination. That's what it does for me," Larkin said.
"I go in there and I see these sort of old stones and I just sort of imagine what was this for? This stone was once a mountain, now it's in this sort of weird department store thing. What will it be next?"
Larkin also created sculptures made from wood blocks and nails found at Turnip Green. He said whether you're a professional artist or a fifth-grader working on a school project, everyone can create art using the same materials from the same place.
Turnip Green has a gallery space where they feature emerging artists working with reused materials. They are a nonprofit, so they have other programs that focus on sustainability education, including outreach at community events. Plus, they run after-school programs and workshops teaching skills like sewing, quilting, and printmaking. Their goal is to keep materials out of landfills while supporting creativity throughout Nashville.
Want to see how Turnip Green Creative Reuse is transforming Nashville's approach to sustainability and education? Watch our full video report to discover more inspiring stories of creativity born from discarded materials, and learn how you can support local teachers and artists. Have a story tip about innovative nonprofits in Middle Tennessee? Contact Eric.Pointer@NewsChannel5.com
This story was reported by Eric Pointer and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Eric Pointer and our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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