Pictures show 36th Ward Alderman Nicholas Sposato and students with products donated by Charmin. That included 10,000 rolls of toilet paper along with paper towels and tissues.
According to Sposato, schools in his ward are struggling as the result of budget cuts so he organized a drive to supply the schools with toilet paper.
Sposato had a year's worth of toilet paper -- generic rolls and name brand -- stacked in his office September 19. While Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel was on a roll announcing millions of dollars for school construction projects, including a $17 million addition at Walter Payton High School, Alderman Sposato was collecting toilet paper.
"Schools' budgets were cut drastically and I wanted to help out. So instead of school supplies, we figured toilet paper," Sposato said.
Sposato said about $3 million was cut from elementary schools and a high school in his ward.
"Sayre lost $200K, Dever lost $200K, Canty lost $400K, Bridge lost $500K, Locke lost $500K, and Steinmetz High School lost $1.4 million. That's a lot of money," Sposato said in a statement. While toilet paper might not make a huge dent in the budget, he said it's something they all need, and with which the community can help.
"Obviously the school board isn't providing, the alderman came up with a good idea a unique idea," Jim Ignatowski, parent, said.
"All of our public schools in this ward are fantastic and yet they get absolutely no support from CPS," Kerry Murphy, parent, said.
Parents said their schools are extremely overcrowded, and at Dever Elementary School, kids share textbooks; the auditorium was converted into a cafeteria.
"We know there is money because it is being handed out, but none of it is on the way to our school," Murphy said.
