Chip Gaines is becoming the Santa Claus of back-to-school shopping. The HGTV and Magnolia Network star’s tradition of randomly fulfilling online wish lists from teachers across the U.S. continued ahead of the 2025-2026 school year.
On July 31, 2025, Gaines’ assistant tweeted that in last 48 hours, they’d surprised 100 teachers by fulfilling their wish lists with $25,000 in classroom supplies.
Chip Gaines Encourages Fans to Help ‘Clear ALL the Lists’
Gaines’ generosity was part of the #ClearTheList movement, founded in 2019 by elementary teacher Courtney Jones, according to Authority Magazine. The idea was for teachers to post their wish lists for classroom school supplies, which they often must pay for out of their own pockets, and get companies to chip in.
On July 28, tweeted, “Happy #ClearTheList season! Post your lists below! I’d love for us all to rally and have a moment on Twitter together! Here’s to a restful summer, amazing school year, and new adventures!”
Gaines replied and tagged his assistant, tweeting, “I am IN 🙋♂️ Me + the team @magnolia have 25k we want to contribute. Let’s clear ALL the lists! As always if *you are inspired PLEASE jump in and do your part. @AssistingChip you better get ready 🤑”
His assistant then spent the next two days finding and fulfilling wish lists teachers had posted online, from Amazon to Donors Choose, and tweeting supportive messages to each teacher.
On July 31, Gaines’ assistant tweeted, “Hey, @chipgaines—48 hours, 25k… (may have gone over budget a tiny tiny bit) WE DID IT! 🙌 100 teachers are about to have some very busy front porches this weekend. 📦 #ClearTheList”
Gaines replied, “Ha.. AMAZING!! Well done assisting chip AND thank you teachers!! WE LOVE YOU! Have a great school year and thank you ALL for loving and serving our kids so well.. chip + jo”
Husband of 26-Year Kindergarten Teacher Got Chip Gaines to Surprise Her With a List Clearing
Teachers across the U.S. were stunned and thrilled when they learned the Gaines had taken care of their lists, including the Minnesota husband of a kindergarten teacher who hoped to surprise her with a list clearing from Gaines.
Gaines’ assistant obliged, tweeting, “There’s nothing we love more than jumping in on a surprise… And with all these packages headed your way, @Murbreezer, we bet she’ll find out soon!”
Thrilled by their generosity, he replied, “Thank you so much! She is going to be shocked! I can’t believe it. Wait til she finds out who cleared it!”
Plenty of others tweeted their gratitude, too, including a fifth grade teacher who wrote, “Thank you Chip so much! Grateful for the impact you made on my students.”
When Gaines’ assistant let another teacher know that they’d purchased the soccer goal and cow costume she was hoping for, she replied, “Thank you I’m literally crying! I was so sad I was without a costume and didn’t get to participate in the race at field day! I’m going to be ready this year! And the soccer goal…..that will be (used) by over 350 kids!!! I’m just blown away right now!”
The Gaines have had a longtime passion for helping teachers make sure they have what they need in the classroom, clearing wish lists for the past several years. In 2016, they surprised one teacher in Waco, Texas, with a total classroom makeover, per Today.com.
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Chip Gaines Stuns Teachers Across U.S. by Fulfilling Their Online Wish Lists