Minimal building budgets don't leave much room for quality art supplies.

Art teachers, no need to fear. The Citizens Council for the Arts is here.

"Some of these teachers are only getting $100," Diane Solomon, president of Citizens Council for the Arts, said Wednesday. "I'm ordering things and thinking, 'This won't even buy one pencil for all the kids they teach.'"

The Sue and Pat Flammia Endowment and Art on the Green, through the nonprofit Citizens Council for the Arts, has in the last several weeks ordered, donated and delivered more than $5,000 in art supplies to 16 public schools in Coeur d’Alene and Post Falls.

"We are excited to be able to help our local educators and students during what has been a challenging year," reads a statement from the council. "We applaud the efforts of our local educators and we are proud to be able to help keep art in our schools."

One of those challenges teachers face is keeping kids safe from COVID while still providing them art instruction.

"Most of the schools have an art teacher working at this time," Solomon said. "It’s challenging for them because any time a child uses something it has to be separate so it can be sanitized before it’s used by another child."

Art on the Green proceeds have supported local art classrooms since 2018. With no live festival this year, the Sue and Pat Flammia Endowment and invested funds were used to make this support possible.

In addition to the art supplies, council members began communicating with music teachers last year and learned many of them don't have the money for instruments and equipment for their students. They are in the process of receiving their requests and ordering the supplies. The plan is to donate $300 for music and $300 for art.

"We are so grateful for the community support of Art on the Green," treasurer Anne Solomon said. "This is one way we can give back to our community."