Donors Choose Program
As the economy stays longer in this new recession, everyone and every company is feeling the pinch. Recently I’ve written articles about ‘recession schools’; schools and districts that are going through serious struggles, just to make it to the end of the school year. I honestly don’t want to think about what each state and district is going to have to do for the school year of 2009-2010. It’s in this time of struggle, that schools are becoming desperate; and that’s not including schools that are in urban areas or rural extremes that weren’t already hurting financially.
I’ve been looking for ways to help the schools in my community; but I was struck with a desire to search for a way to help out in areas that needed more. Luckily, I found out about Donorschoose.org . It’s a GREAT site, where teachers and schools from around the country can list what their classrooms and schools are needing RIGHT NOW. Basically a school in Idaho can list that they need 20 boxes of Kleenex and a person in Iowa can either donate those goods or provide the financial funds for that to happen. Isn’t that amazing? I was so excited about this organization that I stumbled upon this article from the New York Times about Donors Choose and wanted to include it in this note.
Below is the article.
A New Way To Give
Charles Best started DonorsChoose.org in 2000 to let citizens help fund student projects across the country through small donations.
Why do public schools need private donations?
When I was a social studies teacher in Bronx, N.Y., teachers often provided basic supplies like paper and pencils for the kids. But we couldn’t afford to do science projects or anything that needed special materials. I thought that people would want to help if they could choose a project to support, so I created a website and invited my colleagues to post requests for materials they needed. My colleagues posted 11 projects. Then my students volunteered to send 2000 letters to people around the country, explaining that $10 can make you a philanthropist. We got $30,000.
How does the website work now?
Teachers in public schools around the country submit requests for everything from aquarium supplies for a biology class to a working clock so kids can learn to tell time. We buy the materials, usually within 1-2 days of receiving a donation, and we compile thank-you notes from the class. This way, ordinary folks get the choice and feedback usually reserved for millionaire philanthropists. Your $10 gets the same transparency as Bill Gates’ $1 million.
How is the Web changing philanthropy?
Someone with a very small amount of money can make a real difference. We’re creating “citizen philanthropists.” Organizations now can get as much funding from thousands of ordinary folks as they used to get from a few wealthy patrons.
— Lyric Wallwork Winik
Tags: Business, charity, Donors Choose, Education, K-12, resources, schools, teachers