Some of you are educators, a lot of you are parents and we have all seen how our schools are beginning to struggle under budget cuts, so this charity is not a surprise at all. It is Adopt A Classroom.org. This organization has set up a way for teachers to have partners who can adopt their classroom and provide additional funding and resources for that classroom; a brilliant idea, based on a sad reality. According to their website, they have just over 155,000 teachers registered and have raised $21 million in funds, impacting 5 million students. While it is also necessary for teachers to get the word out in their community so that their classroom can be “adopted,” the organization makes it easy for them not to worry about the financial end of things. AdoptAClassroom.org oversees the funds, and the teachers are allowed total discretion over how they use the money, additionally benefiting from being able to order supplies online directly from the organization’s website and having those items shipped directly to their school. It seems like a win-win situation. The partners, donors, know that their money is tax deductible and that all money goes directly to the classroom, and the teachers have the financial help they need to help their students.
Courtesy of adoptaclassroom.org
What is interesting is that teachers are supplying students with not just school-related items but with basic necessities. Sixty-seven percent of teachers are buying food. Twenty-nine percent are buying basic hygiene items. This is a very sad statement that reflects the very fact that, before our children can learn, basic issues need to be addressed. A child who is hungry or cold cannot focus on learning. Teachers deal with this every day in every part of the country.
Courtesy of adoptaclassroom.org
The organization also provides you with an accountability report so you know exactly what your dollars are being spent on. Donors and teachers also can communicate with each other to see the direct impact. This has even translated into donors visiting classrooms and becoming involved, such as chaperoning field trips. As we all know, volunteering also can make a huge difference in a student’s life.
I applaud this charity for seeing the need that is out there and finding a way to make a difference. Teachers struggle every day with these issues, and it is nice to see that they now have someone in their corner.
To support this charity, please go to visit their website and enter your zip code, so that you can be matched with a school in your area.
Additionally, you can follow them on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/adoptaclassroom?sk=wall_) and Twitter.
Charity Spotlight 