Think Bigg

As a thank you for purchasing some furniture, Crate and Barrel recently sent me a gift certificate for $25 to a group called DonorsChoose.org.  Not knowing anything about them, I got online to check them out and was so impressed!  Thank you Crate and Barrel!

With a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, DonorsChoose.org provides students in need with resources that public schools often lack.

Here’s how it works: Teachers from schools all over the country can submit project proposals for materials or experiences needed to help their students learn. Concerned individuals, who they call “Citizen Philanthropists,” can choose projects to fund, and once again we are reminded why we thought the Internet was a good idea in the first place.

From their website,

Proposals range from “Magical Math Centers” ($200) to “Big Book Bonanza” ($320), to “Cooking Across the Curriculum” ($1,100). Any individual can search such proposals by areas of interest, learn about classroom needs, and choose to fund the project(s) they find most compelling. In completing a project, donors receive a feedback package of student photos and thank-you notes, and a teacher impact letter.

Whether you fund a whole project or just contribute your small part, whether you choose a school in your own community or reach out across the country to a community far from home, you can make an impact in the educational life of a child.

For more ideas on how to help bring resources to students in struggling classrooms, read more!

Here are some great ways to involve your community:

Funding a project in someone’s honor. Here, the donor can recognize someone special by funding a project in his/her honor. The donor gets the tax deduction and the honoree is acknowledged by the classroom.

Giving a Gift Certificate. A DonorsChoose.org gift certificate allows the giver to get the tax deduction and enables the recipient to fund student project(s) of his/her choice—and to receive the classroom acknowledgment. Parents often use this tool to introduce their children to philanthropy. Click here to give a Gift Certificate.

Opening a Gift Registry. Whether getting married or running the marathon, DonorsChoose.org supporters can use special occasions to help students learn. The gift registry feature enables anyone to select his/her favorite projects and to share that list with family and friends via our email engine. The registrant is acknowledged by the classroom, while the tax deduction goes to those who donate to projects on the gift registry. Click here to open a gift registry.

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