The Money Mom: Want to brighten a kid's day? Try DonorsChoose.org

Posted by Jennifer Freeman at 8:47 AM

Do your teachers have great little ideas for projects and supplies that will improve their classroom? DonorsChoose.org makes it easy for teachers to ask for the little things that help brighten a kid's day: books, puzzles, digital cameras, art supplies. Anyone with just a little money to give can help children in a very concrete way, by going to the website and picking a specific project to fund. DonorsChoose.org started as a young Bronx high school teacher’s idea in 2000. In the last seven years, over 29,000 student projects have been funded with over $14 million in contributions, $4 million so far in 2007 alone, according to the organization's website. ABC News did a nice story recently and the New York Times published an article as well.

So encourage your teachers to list a project-- cooking, math, literacy, art, gardening, music--on Donorschoose.org. It’s easy! All they have to do is sign in and describe something they need that will directly benefit children. Check out the projects that need funding. It’s inspiring just to see the ideas of so many creative teachers. You can fund a project in somebody’s honor (holiday gift idea!), or even give a gift certificate that allows the recipient to choose which project to fund.