Have you ever played the game what would I do if I won the lottery? Sure you have. So have I. Obviously, I haven’t won the lottery. It would probably help to buy a ticket (it does help the schools here) but I haven’t lately. I have discovered something that’s almost as good, except this time you’re giving. You can donate any amount of money. I’ve done as little as $10 and as much as $100 but absolutely any amount helps.
Donors Choose is a wonderful organization supporting schools all over the country. Teachers propose a project that is needed in their classroom. There is a detailed list of exactly what will be ordered and from where. The teachers describe their classroom and their students. You’re given a word picture of the students and the challenges they face daily. Most of the students are from financially challenged areas. Many of the students come from homes with severely limited incomes, not enough food and no books of their own. It doesn’t take a lot to break my heart but that will do it. Imagine being a teacher and trying to teach without the needed supplies. Yesterday, I gave a little to a nursing program that simply needs an over-the-bed table with wheels! Such a simple thing but try nursing without it.
If you want to help, here’s what you do. Go to https://www.donorschoose.org You can choose your city and your local school. You can check out needed projects all over the country. Or you can click on “most urgent”. There are several schools in Des Moines I’ve supported. I support my youngest granddaughters’ school and their teachers as well as other teachers in their school. And by “support” it doesn’t have to be a lot of money but anything helps. I also like to click on Iowa and rural. I have supported several projects that way. Once, I found a class in the Bronx with refugee children who needed seating for their classroom. For $20, I was able to complete that project. That is so rewarding when you get to actually complete the project. It’s especially thrilling, when you receive a notice that a project you have helped (with any amount) has been completely funded and is about to be delivered! The teachers have sent me photos of the children unpacking whatever their project was and it’s just like Christmas morning. I love it! The teachers are given a certain amount of time to fund their projects. There have been a few times when the projects weren’t funded in time. You can choose to leave your donation with that teacher for a future project or move it to an urgent need. It’s up to you. And, of course, your donation is tax-deductible.
Many of us are retired and on “fixed” incomes. I always wondered what that meant. Now I know. Very few of us are wealthy (we’re not), but most of us waste enough money to help a student or a classroom with such need. If I ever do win the lottery, I’m headed straight to this website and have so much fun!
