Blessing the Children Feels Great
I just blessed some kids in Alabama, Texas, Pennsylvania, Georgia and Arizona and it feels GREAT!
I don’t know them or their teachers, but I do know their schools can’t give them what they need. Their teachers know what they need and in this case it’s all about art. These classroom teachers have special art projects in mind, but their schools don’t have the funds. Determined to give their students art, they posted their projects on Donors Choose, a website anyone can view and donate on.
DonorsChoose.org is a non-profit website where teachers of all age groups, can post classroom project requests. They describe the project, the learning objectives and how much it’s going to cost. Donors view the different projects and decide which if any they would like to contribute to. You can give a little or a lot. And some requests are going to pull at your heart strings more than others. Last year, along with Young Rembrandts Franchise, we donated a significant amount to help an 8th grade class from a small town in Wisconsin come to Chicago for a visit to the Art Institute. I still remember my first time there and the way my heart opened even more to all things art. That donation became so personal, I was beyond excited for the students and in June, we received a lovely stack of thank you letters. It seems the trip had been as impactful as expected.
Once you’re on Donors Choose.org, you can search by subject matter, grade level, project cost, even the income level of overall student population. We just
· bought some paint and brushes for a storytelling project
· sent a class of English Language Learners to the Philadelphia Magic Gardens
· sent low income kids in the Bronx to experience live theater by seeing Aladdin on Broadway,
· bought basic supplies for several low-income classes
· and special art supplies for a STEAM project, allowing 400 students to use art to reflect math concepts
Have I peaked your interest? Pulled on your heart strings? These teachers are determined to give their students art and experiences that will change their life. They’re doing the heavy lifting. Let’s give them what we can to make it happen. It can be in any subject or in any dollar amount. Who do you want to bless today?
