READ MORE: Back-to-school spending will increase this year: poll Liane Zafiropoulos, who teaches Grade 5 at a school in Ajax, Ont., doesn’t have a problem with trendy stationery.

Pens, glue sticks and exercise books may seem like absolute basics for a child in a classroom, but many are relying on donated stationery to start the school year. A community-run group in Lower ...