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Introducing “Favorites,” an improved feature on the DonorsChoose.org website! Formally known as the “follow” feature, Favorites allows users to track and follow specific projects, searches, teachers, or schools. This is an awesome way to keep track of exciting projects or updates from your favorite teachers!How it works: Simply click on the “star” icon next to your favorite project or teacher. When you are logged into your DonorsChoose.org account, it immediately stores into your favorites folder.

Benefits: No more messy Bookmark tabs! Everything is stored neatly in your Favorites folder and you can manage your Favorites by clicking the Star in the header of the page.

The staff loves it: DonorsChoose.org employee Charlotte writes, “I love seeing the stars light up when I add a Favorite. It’s a great way to keep track of the projects and teachers I’m most excited about!”Try it today!

This story originally appeared on Morning Joe. Morning Joe and Starbucks are teaming up with Donorschoose.org to help support classrooms in need. To give, visit donorschoose.org/morningjoe.

Today celebrates the next phase of our hugely successful relationship with Starbucks and msnbc’s Morning Joe that launched last March.Since our relationship began, Morning Joe and Starbucks have encouraged viewers and customers to get involved in local community initiatives and support the needs of public schools through DonorsChoose.org.Starbucks and Morning Joe now make it even easier to show support! Starting October 4, Starbucks retail stores and participating grocery stores will feature specially marked bags of Gold Coast Blend® – Morning Joe Edition coffee with $5 DonorsChoose.org donation stickers* for customers to direct funding to the public school classroom project of their choice, including projects in their own neighborhood. Through this effort, we hope to inspire customers to take action and get involved in change for their neighborhood public school.We hope this relationship will generate support for thousands of US public schools, and get thousands of loyal coffee drinkers involved in improving public education to boot!*Up to $600,000, restrictions apply, while supplies last. Offer only available through codes found on specially-marked packages of Starbucks Gold Coast Blend® - Morning Joe Edition coffee.  We will donate $5 for every code entered through 12/31/2011, or until $600,000 has been given.  Enter your code at www.donorschoose.org/starbucks then choose a classroom project to receive the $5 donation.  Codes expire on 12/31/2011 at 11:59 pm ET.  Donations can only be directed to existing projects on DonorsChoose.org.  Coffee purchases and this $5 donation are not tax-deductible.  For promotional details and restrictions, visit www.donorschoose.org/starbucks.

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Mr. Cameron: “I didn't have my first Black male teacher until my first year in college, and that was actually a math professor. I was underperforming  as a mathematician then, and it was just very life-changing for him to sit there as a Black man to another Black man saying, "Hey, you're not doing what you're supposed to be doing. Get it together. You have a future and you're destined for greatness, so let's get on that path."

And so that's when life clicked for me to become a little bit more serious when I had that. And so I just imagine if I had that when I was younger how much more serious I probably would've took school.

They tell you that if a kid has one Black male educator, they'll make it to college. Right? But my kids have had me for three straight years, so. They should be taking over the world now.”

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This past summer, following some devastating flooding, residents of Jackson, Mississippi lost access to clean water and were left without running water for days. The city had already been on a boil water notice since July and has been experiencing water problems for years — a result of decades of disinvestment by state and local government that most often affects communities of color like Jackson and Flint, Michigan. The city still has a ways to go to address the long-term and systemic challenges that created this crisis.

In September, Drew Whitely, our Teacher Outreach Associate, spoke with Susan Bender and Ranella Howard, two teachers in Jackson, to learn how educators are helping their students and communities navigate the effects of this crisis.  Here is what we learned:

The water crisis is impacting some communities in Mississippi harder than others

Ranella Howard, a high school teacher, explained that issues such as lack of access to transportation meant that some residents were impacted by the crisis more than others. A family cannot get to a water distribution site if they have no way to get there. Like many, Ranella realized that she took resources like transportation access for granted and the water crisis highlighted how poverty and systemic inequity impacts lives on a daily basis. 

Teachers are doing everything they can to support each other and their students

While some families are getting water from local organizations and distribution sites, teachers are taking matters into their own hands to fill the gap in schools. “I put in a big [DonorsChoose] project for jugs of water. I even have a Google form set up where the teachers can let me know when they need water,” says Ranella. "The students are elated to see the support and level of care in ensuring that they have safe, clean drinking water during another water crisis. They are so appreciative."

"I keep bottled water here that I go buy. I keep ramen noodles in my room for kids who are hungry and bowls for them.” — Susan Bender, high school teacher, Jackson, MS 

Similarly, high school teacher Susan Bender makes sure that her students who don’t have access to water at home are able to get nourishment at school. “I keep bottled water here that I go buy. I keep ramen noodles in my room for kids who are hungry and bowls for them. If they're hungry, they could come and eat. I've had a lot more kids come and ask me for water.”

This crisis is mentally affecting students, teachers, and families

“A lot of kids just… they're frustrated. Teachers are frustrated,” says Ranella.

At schools like Susan’s, economic disparities further contribute to the mental health effects of this crisis. “If you think of a family… struggling to make ends meet with everything. And then on top of that, you put the stress of not being able to bathe your children, being afraid to let children bathe by themselves because they don't dare get that water in their mouth if they're showering or bathing. Trying to find transportation because you don't have any…to be able to get to one of these sites to get water and you sit in line for hours at the water places and by the time you get to it, they may have run out. And it's going to bring some people to the breaking point. It's a mental health issue at this point for a lot of people. You already can't provide, and now you can't even provide water”.

In addition to water, there are other helpful resources they need that are less obvious

While water donations continue to be helpful, these two teachers explained that there are more resources that would benefit their classrooms during this time. Ranella shared, “I'm planning on writing another project just for a refrigerator to keep stocked with water. It’s something no one really thinks about.” Since Jackson is especially hot during the first couple months of school, having cool water to drink makes a big difference. 

When you’re in a classroom environment that doesn’t have easy access to water, you need resources to ensure your students are learning in a safe and sanitary environment. aWhen asked what would be useful, Susan responded, “Probably hand sanitizer because if you don't have nice water, you don't wanna wash your hands in brown water. So hand sanitizer, paper towels, spray cleaners, just the normal general hygiene [products].”
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Right now, the DonorsChoose Community is doubling all donations to classrooms in Jackson, Mississippi. Help a teacher provide their students and families with the resources they need.