Help Teachers Help Students
Donate materials or experiences to a schoolroom in need.
A worn, mended carpet for Amanda Tylicki's precious second-graders?
Never.
After spotting the unsightly scrap, Tylicki posted a proposal for a new rug on DonorsChoose.org, a Web site that connects donors with small schoolroom projects. A few months later, her kids were gathered on a bright, cushy carpet for story hour. "The budget is tight at a school like mine," says Tylicki, who is starting her fourth year as a teacher at Horace Cureton Elementary School, in East San Jose, Cal. "It's wonderful to have a resource like DonorsChoose."
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Row 0 - Cell 0 | More $1,000 Ideas |
Row 1 - Cell 0 | Enter Our Best $1,000 Idea Contest |
Founded by Charles Best, a social-studies teacher in a public high school in the Bronx, N.Y., DonorsChoose began as a way to get supplies into public schools in low-income areas. "I figured that there were people out there who wanted to improve public schools but were skeptical about writing a check for $100 and not seeing where their money was going," says Best.
Giving through DonorsChoose feels as personal as bringing cupcakes to your kid's classroom. You browse the requests -- say, for a book cart or science equipment -- and send a donation to the one that appeals to you most. You can kick in part of the funding or all of it. Once the target amount has been met, DonorsChoose buys the materials and ships them to the school.
What kind of school supplies does $1,000 buy? For about that amount, you could present a special-education class in San Francisco with a laptop computer and software. Or you could divvy up your donation and buy dress-up clothing for kindergartners in Staten Island, N.Y. ($535) and a digital camera for third-graders in Thomasville, N.C. ($292).
On the receiving end, the class puts together a packet that includes thank-you notes from the kids, a letter from the teacher and pictures of the whole gang using the resource. The packet goes to DonorsChoose, which forwards it to the donor. "With people who want to be anonymous, we address the letters 'Dear Donor,'" says Tylicki. "I've heard kids say, 'Donor is so nice. I really want to meet Donor.'"
Tylicki's proposals have also snagged new crayons for her students, as well as $7,000 to send 14 of them to summer science camp. "DonorsChoose has revolutionized my ability to teach," she says. As for the kids, "the process tells them, One person who didn't even know us just made our day by giving us a present. Think of how kind that is."
To continue reading this article
please register for free
This is different from signing in to your print subscription
Why am I seeing this? Find out more here
-
How to Help Your Kids Without Ruining Your Retirement
Here are some general considerations to ensure the gift of assets to your kids will not negatively affect your financial future.
By Mario Hernandez Published
-
AI to Power the Next Generation of Robots
The Kiplinger Letter There's increasing buzz that the tech behind ChatGPT will make future industrial and humanoid robots far more capable.
By John Miley Published
-
403(b) Contribution Limits for 2024
retirement plans Teachers and nonprofit workers can contribute more to a 403(b) retirement plan in 2024 than they could in 2023.
By Jackie Stewart Published
-
Roth IRA Contribution Limits for 2024
Roth IRAs Roth IRA contribution limits have gone up for 2024. Here's what you need to know.
By Jackie Stewart Published
-
Four Tips for Renting Out Your Home on Airbnb
real estate Here's what you should know before listing your home on Airbnb.
By Miriam Cross Published
-
Five Ways to a Cheap Last-Minute Vacation
Travel It is possible to pull off a cheap last-minute vacation. Here are some tips to make it happen.
By Vaishali Varu Last updated
-
How Much Life Insurance Do You Need?
insurance Instead of relying on rules of thumb, you’re better off taking a systematic approach to figuring your life-insurance needs.
By Kimberly Lankford Published
-
Five Reasons You Shouldn't Shop on Amazon Prime Day
Smart Buying Think twice before getting lured into buying a bunch of stuff you don't need just because it's on sale.
By Andrea Browne Taylor Published
-
When Is Amazon Prime Day?
Amazon Prime In 2023 Amazon had two Prime Day events — one in July and another, called Big Deal Days, in October. We expect 2024 to follow the same schedule.
By Bob Niedt Last updated
-
How to Shop for Life Insurance in 3 Easy Steps
insurance Shopping for life insurance? You may be able to estimate how much you need online, but that's just the start of your search.
By Kaitlin Pitsker Published