NILES — When Caryn Adler announced earlier this month that she would be organizing a Teacher Supply Drive, she did not expect the idea to inspire those outside of the Niles community — but it did.

Adler is the adult services coordinator at the library and started the inaugural collection in the hopes of helping local teachers, who often have to pay out of pocket to purchase classroom supplies.

Fifteen different businesses have since partnered with Adler and are also collecting donations for the cause. Supplies will be collected through Aug. 30, and people interested in contributing are asked to donate pencils, pencil cases, crayons, markers, scissors, folders, paper, hand sanitizer, paper towels, tissues, glue sticks, dry erase markers and spray, Post-it notes, blank cards, invisible tape, small containers with lids and three-ring binders.

Brew Ha Ha, Pizza Transit and Shelf Life Bookstore are offering varying discounts or benefits to those who donate. The library is offering fine forgiveness to those who donate. The amount relieved will depend on how much is donated.

Adler said she was ecstatic to hear that people in other communities were also inspired by the idea and wanted to help out. Adler was recently contacted by Terry Redman — a former Niles resident who now lives in Englewood, Florida. Redmond said he heard about Adler’s project and decided to institute a similar drive in his own community to help teachers.

Anne Born, a former Niles resident who now lives in New York City, also heard about the drive via social media. Born decided to help her Niles community from afar and purchased a bunch of school supplies and shipped them to Adler.

“We have an outreach in Florida and one in New York, which is just really thrilling,” Adler said. “It never even crossed my mind that it would have that kind of reach. Needless to say, we are thrilled.”

Before school starts this fall, teachers from the Niles and Brandywine school district will be invited to the library to collect the supplies that they need.

Adler encouraged people to contribute what they can to the drive. She said when teachers arrive to pick out supplies, she wants them to have an abundance to choose from.

“I’m still nervous that we may not have enough,” Adler said. “I hope it is a win-win. I hope the businesses also get more foot traffic because of these donations.”

She also encouraged local businesses to post on social media that they are a drop off location.

“I’d like to be able to meet the needs of all the teachers,” Adler said. “With nearly 200 teachers, we are hoping to service them as much as we can.”

Drop off locations include:

• Niles District Library, 620 E. Main St.

• Pregnancy Care Center, 527 E. Main St.

• Brew Ha Ha, 920 Broadway St.

• The Brass Eye, 205 N. Second St.

• Custom Computer Company, 603 N. Second St.

• Edward Jones Investments, 213 E. Main St.

• Forever Clean Soap Works, 218 N. Front St.

• Leader Publications, 217 N. Fourth St.

• Paul’s Fine Jewelry, 721 E. Main St.

• Pizza Transit, 215 E. Main St.

• Shelf Life Bookstore, 223 N. Fourth St.

• Veni’s Sweet Shop, 228 E. Main St.

• A Lovely Nest, 217 E. Main St.

• Greater Niles Senior Center, 1109 Bell Road

• Jim’s Smokin’ Cafe, 220 E. Main St.

• YMCA of Southwest Michigan, 905 N. Front St.