Make a Real Difference This Teacher Appreciation Week.
“Please, no more mugs!” might be heard in schools across the nation as Teacher Appreciation Week 2024 approaches. It’s not that they don’t appreciate the gesture, but AdoptAClassroom.org’s teacher survey results consistently tell us what teachers need most to be effective and feel valued.
So what do teachers want? There’s support we can’t individually give them. Teachers deserve salaries that accurately reflects their value, less stress, and true agency to do their jobs. However, read on to find out what is within your reach.
On average, teachers are spending $860 of their own money each year to supply their classrooms. Teachers are the only professionals who take supplies into the office!
You can help teachers most by making a classroom donation that a teacher can spend on what they know is needed.
Teachers have to be adept at creative thinking, which is reflected in the variety of items bought through AdoptAClassroom.org’s teacher marketplace with donations from our donors.
Our dedicated Teacher Services Team also works with teachers to help them process “out-of-network” purchases when they have more creative ideas or non-traditional needs. For example, one teacher I recently spoke with is funding a field trip with her classroom donations.
Stand Up for Teachers During Teacher Appreciation Week 2024
AdoptAClassroom.org makes it easy to put donations to work all year long. Teacher Appreciation Week 2024 (May 6-10, 2024), is the perfect time to start showing a teacher you care about that you value them and recognize their contributions.
- Our search tool makes it easy to find teachers at your local schools who need support and search nationally based on different criteria that are important to you.
- Many large employers are enrolled in charitable matching programs – AdoptAClassroom.org has an integrated tool to help you check for matches and potentially increase the value of your donation at the click of a button.
- We also know the power of a personal recommendation! When you give, you will have the opportunity to share the news with your friends and family on social media right from our website. Encourage them to join you by making a donation, amplifying the impact you can make for a classroom in need.
How Donors Like You Make a Difference
Making Reading Fun
English language arts teacher April used AdoptAClassroom.org funding to equip her classroom library, and is stimulating a love of reading by adding black light “glow parties” that offer a fun experience for her students. We love that creative thinking about how to engage young minds!
Giving Students a Way to Fight Cancer
One school’s physical education teacher helped her students deal with the tragic cancer-related death of one of their classmates in an inspiring way.
Brenda wanted to honor the beloved student with a Ninja Warrior-themed obstacle course, but the project’s price tag of $40,000 would have taken 80 years to pay for with her annual amount of school-provided funds! She created the “Fight Cancer Like a Ninja Warrior” classroom page and has successfully raised $20,000 in funds through AdoptAClassroom.org.
Replacing School Supplies Lost in Maui Wildfires
The King Kamehameha III Elementary School was devoured by the Maui wildfires in 2023. Unfortunately, insurance doesn’t cover the things each teacher bought to supply their classrooms over the years, and certainly can’t replace the pictures, notes, and other things created by students.
Thanks to AdoptAClassroom.org’s Natural Disaster Fund, nine classrooms were quickly funded so they could start replacing lost supplies. Abby is one of the teachers who got funding, and she replaced her classroom library.
As she said, beyond the financial lifeline, seeing donations come in “filled me with a profound sense of support, gratitude, and love.” Abby and her students got reassurance that they’re “not alone, and everything will be okay.”
Count Me in! What’s Next?
Whether you want to donate directly to a teacher, support a Spotlight Fund, or seed our Annual Fund, you have the power to make a difference and stand up for teachers!
This Teacher Appreciation Week 2024, don’t forget to tell teachers how much you appreciate them – it goes unspoken too often, but those few words can really make a difference! Use the hashtag #standupforteachers