Does that budget you receive at the beginning of the year run out faster than you can blink? Do you find yourself reaching deeper and deeper into your already shallow pockets for classroom supplies? Ever wish that there were people out there willing to support and fund your classroom ideas? Well, Donors Choose is an incredible website started by a teacher in 2000 as a way to support teachers and students. Ever created a Donors Choose project?
Background Information
If you have no idea what I’m talking about, not to worry, you’re not alone. In fact, I myself only learned of this wonderful opportunity four years ago when I posted my own project. As is the case with many schools, we outgrew our building that year… and budget. There were too many classes and not enough classrooms. As a special educator, this frustrated me given that the kids I service really need stability and a learning space to call their own. I was teaching kindergarten through 2nd grade and the only space provided was essentially a glorified closet/makeshift office space in the school library.
The space had tall filing cabinets and a massive bulky office desk. I had taken with me from my last space a kidney-shaped table for the kiddos, put some chairs around it, and suddenly… I couldn’t move. There wasn’t any walking space. The filing cabinets didn’t open all the way, and not because they were jammed or broken. There wasn’t the necessary room to do so! It was definitely cozy. Comfy and conducive to learning? Debatable.
Upgrading Our Space
Enter Donors Choose. I started my project in December of 2016 for multi purpose furniture so that we could maximize our learning space with a focus on student needs and instruction. I requested some plastic stack stools, ones that would fit under the kidney table to allow flexible seating options and take up minimal floor space. A 25 tray cubby shelving unit would allow me to pull manipulatives out from the filing cabinets and display them at student level, fostering independence and frequent use, critical for children with specific learning and language abilities.
I remember being skeptical. Who would be willing to help a teacher they don’t know? Which one of my friends could I count on to support my livelihood? Let me tell you: the world is good and full of game-changing people! I’ll never forget my first and last donations for that project.
Generous Donors
The first came from a friendly acquaintance, Rob. Rob and I knew each other from a volunteering gig walking dogs. We’d chat as we leashed up the ever-ready canines for their laps. He was my first donor, right around the Christmas holiday! As I later found out, his family had a beautiful tradition of finding organizations and people to support during the holiday season instead of buying one another unnecessary gifts. My heart was so full!
Rob and social media got the figurative ball rolling. I had posted to Facebook about the generosity of this acquaintance and what an impact his donation would have on our space. Over the next few weeks, several friends of mine followed suit, donating what they could and leaving notes of positivity on the project’s landing page. I was blown away!
And then there was Gary. Who’s Gary? I myself don’t even know the man! All I know is this wonderful stranger from Connecticut provided the last chunk of change needed to fully fund my project on January 13, 2017. I was overwhelmed with emotion. There were literal tears when I got the email. Our little hole in the wall was getting a major facelift thanks to the generosity of others. It truly takes a village, y’all!
Misson Accomplished!
Donors Choose purchased the project supplies on my behalf and delivered them to our school building. We swapped out bulky chairs for bouncy balls and stacking stools. We had cubbies for each student, grab and go center activities, a space to call our own. It didn’t matter anymore that we didn’t have a classroom with windows, desks, or computers. We had a space we made our own and called home. That was more than enough.
Want to start your own project? It’s pretty simple. When you submit your very first project, Donors Choose helps build momentum by matching donations during the project’s first live week. That means dollar for dollar your Donors Choose project has the potential to be fully funded faster!
Need help getting a project started? Don’t be shy; say hi! I’d love to help get needed supplies into the hands of your students, too. ACTIONABLE STEPS: Create your first project. Use my affiliate link and receive DOUBLE on all your first-week donations!
