FATRAT, first of all BIG UP for your generosity.
I do both. I buy the heavier items there such as reams of paper and the light weight items I bring. Now is the perfect time to shop since school supplies are everywhere. But I found walmart has the best prices and variety. Glue sticks for example are only 10 cent a piece. The teachers love those things. Spiral one-subject note books are 17 cent. Hard cover composition books are 50 cent. Yellow highlighters, which are also a hit, are 3 for 97 cent. Used to bring boxed flash cards but a teacher told me just bring large ruled index cards (100 per pack) and they will make their own flash cards. Scotch tape, black sharpie markers, reinforcement labels, scissors, dry-erase boards & pens. I keep a list and build on it adding the things they rarely receive from donations.
Buying in Jamaica is nice, but I can bring a lot more with me than I can afford to purchase there.
When I’m in Negril I donate through Travellers and to the school my hotel sponsors.
