DonorsChoose.org: Teachers Ask. You Choose. Students Learn.

Channel surfing during the news hour, I noticed an ABC report about how much money teachers in public schools spend on their classrooms--amounting in the hundreds of dollars annually--because of cuts to education budgets. Most of us in the Etz community are unusually blessed to live in school districts that are blessed by higher tax income and parent organizations that are capable of assisting schools with activities and supplies.

Unfortunately, even just a few miles away, there are less fortunate families in suffering school districts.
Schools in several Bay Area school districts have been forced in the past 10 years to cut art, athletics, and even libraries due to the combination of lower home values (resulting in lower tax income) and families less capable of supporting school financial needs.

The ABC program talked about one way teachers are succeeding in getting their needs met: DonorsChange.org. Supported by major No. Cal. partners such as Bank of America, Yahoo, and the Koret Foundation, DonorsChange allows individuals to donate to specific classroom needs--everything from art supplies to new chairs.

During this season of giving, it is important for us to share whatever resources we have with the communities of which we are a part--and it is certainly worthwhile to support our local schools (including at the synagogue--where parents have thankfully been generous at recent fundraisers). I also would like to encourage your family to consider giving a gift to a class that is less fortunate this winter.

DonorsChoose.org: Teachers Ask. You Choose. Students Learn.