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The classroom supply gap may be the most bipartisan issue in America in 2026. It's the difference between what students need for learning and what schools can actually afford to provide — a gap that teachers are often left to fill on their own.

DonorsChoose is the leading nonprofit classroom funding site for public school teachers. We analyzed over 60,000 classroom requests from 2026, grouping them by “red state” or “blue state” based on 2024 presidential election results. What we found transcended every political affiliation. In fact, 35 states share the same three items in their top most-requested resources. Books. Classroom snacks. Educational toys.

When we really look at what teachers are saying, we learn that the things students need to thrive aren't partisan, they're human:

📚 Something to read.
🍎 Something to eat.
🧸 Something to play with and learn from. 

In a nation divided by so much, supporting students is something we can all get behind. Read on to hear directly from teachers across the country about what their students need.

Most Requested Resource #1: Books

All 50 states and Washington, D.C. had print books in their top three most-requested materials. For 45 states, books was the #1 most requested item. Whether they’re replacing dog-eared copies, expanding from a single novel to a class set, diversifying and updating materials, or filling out different reading levels, teachers nationwide need help stocking their classroom shelves.

Arizona

“Our classroom library has become outdated. I still have books I got 20 years ago when I first started teaching, and that's fine, the students still read them, but I want to get some books that they like and that they told me they wanted.”

—Mr. Brennan
John E White Elementary School
From his request: Updating Our Classroom Library

California

“Due to budget cuts, skipped finance cycles, and other undisclosed reasons, our students have suffered with outdated material for too long. Some books are as old as 1985 with the newest being from 2009… I want to take matters into my own hands and support my students with what they deserve — beautiful and thought-provoking books.”

—Mr. McCall
Middletown High School
From his request: My Students Deserve Good, Diverse Books

Kentucky

“Our students deserve a library that is as dynamic, diverse, and brilliant as they are. They come to school every day ready to learn, but are often met with a book collection that is worn out, culturally outdated, and unable to reflect their rich personal worlds.”

—Ms. Gross
Northern Elementary School
From her request: Hooked on Books

Minnesota

“I evaluated our library recently and quickly realized our high school section was in desperate need of updating. My high school students deserve books that reflect the world they live in as well as experience new worlds both real and imaginary.”

—Mrs. Sloot
St Paul City PK-12 School
From her request: High Hopes for High School

Most Requested Resource #2: Food Items

Hungry students can't learn and teachers know it. For 47 states and Washington, D.C., classroom food items ranked among the top three most-requested supplies. Before there can be focused, engaged minds, there have to be full bellies.

Louisiana

“ Students should never have to go through a day hungry. My goal for this project is to make sure my care closet is never empty when they need something.”

—Mrs. Vance
Cope Middle School
From her request: Snacks and Supplies

Maryland

“The snacks will be for in-class but also so that students can take one or two home each day as needed. Food insecurity is a real issue in our city.”

— Mx. Padro
Patterson Senior High School 405
From their request: Quick Snacks for Hungry Students

North Dakota

“ This year, I know that so many of my classroom parents are struggling with just the necessities. Students need a snack every day. School days can get long. Students need to focus on learning, not on how hungry they are.”

—Mrs. Sjoquist
Sawyer School
From her request: Shark, err Snack Attack!

New Mexico

“Living in Santa Fe, many of our students face economic instability. One in four children in the state of New Mexico do not have enough food at home. These students receive school lunch, but for many of them, this is not enough to get through the entire day. Ensuring that hunger is not an obstacle in my students’ ability to learn is essential to their success.”

— Mrs. Jones
Amy Biehl Community School
From her request: Healthy Snacks for Success

Most Requested Resource #3: Educational Toys

Hands-on learning tools — including manipulatives, games, and puzzles — landed in the top 3 most-requested classroom supplies for 39 states and D.C. As building blocks for early childhood education, educational toys help kids engage with complex ideas and uncover creative solutions. But when budgets tighten, they're often the first to go.

Florida

“My amazing students thrive with hands-on activities and experiences. [They] will love these science, technology, engineering, and mathematics items to help them learn the Florida science and math standards.”

—Mrs. May
Lockhart Elementary Magnet School
From her request: STEM in Primary

Massachusetts

“My students work so diligently to complete the class work and meet district and state learning standards. It would be amazing to be able to provide them access to more hands-on activities and games.”

—Ms. Barr
STEM Academy
From her request: STEM FUN!

Missouri

“Recently, our state banned all personally owned electronic devices at school. I hope to stock our commons area with alternative [non-digital] activities that draw students together through cooperation and competition.”

—Mr. Bennion
East Newton High School
From his request: Never a Dull Moment!

New York

“I teach 25 bright and beautiful children in a high need area of New York City. My classroom is not equipped with all the necessary math materials that we need to make math an engaging and hands-on experience for students. I am asking for materials that we will be using all year to help learn all the standards.”

—Ms. Gupta
School In the Square Charter School
From her request: Support My Master Mathematicians!

In Teachers (and Students!) We Trust

Educators everywhere know what their students need — and in so many places across the country, schools just don’t have the funds. East and West. Rural and urban. Red and blue. It doesn't matter.

"In rural Vermont, budget cuts happen all the time."

"Due to funding cuts in New Mexico, teachers are receiving less essential resources and are personally responsible for purchasing fundamental materials to keep the classroom running."

"Our students in South Phoenix have been hit hard with budget cuts and low funding. Our kids deserve more!"

The political map may be divided, but the classroom supply list isn't.

Every DonorsChoose project tells a story. That story is often one of hope: that students can get what they need to learn and grow to their full potential, and that teachers can meet those needs through the power of community.

But each project also tells a story of struggle as teachers shed light on the challenges and needs their young learners face every day, both in and out of the classroom. When coupling rising trends in teacher requests with external data, the research is clear: hunger is one of the biggest threats to learning in America's classrooms today, and it's on the rise. 

Student Economic Need Is At A Historic High

90% of United States public schools have at least one teacher who has posted a project on DonorsChoose. One of America's most trusted education nonprofits, DonorsChoose enables hyperlocal, targeted giving – and hyperlocal, targeted data on student and teacher needs. Over the past decade, we've seen that more and more schools have become majority-Free or Reduced-Price Lunch, signaling a deeper structural need. 

Research shows a unique dip in hunger needs at school in 2020-2022, when the pandemic caused a federal waiver to allow universal free lunch meals. When that waiver expired in 2022, schools returned to charging students for lunch, and hunger needs surged once more. 

DonorsChoose insights come directly from data on what teachers across the country request, so we can break these patterns down by grade level, geographic region, and school economic level. We've found, for example, that high schools submit the highest share of hunger-related requests and urban schools experience the highest need. We've also discovered that while hunger requests follow a pattern throughout the school year — the highest points of need being during the summers, when school is not in session, and spiking again in January when students return from the winter break and teachers spot renewed need — the necessity for food relief persists year-round.

Those hunger needs mean a surge in hunger-related DonorsChoose requests, and the trend isn't slowing.

Teacher requests give us a realtime view of what hunger truly looks like, both in and beyond the classroom. Other than a brief dip in the 2024–25 school year that we attribute to temporary relief funding to cover student needs, we can see that hunger is on the rise, and teachers are the first responders. 

Three Ways Teachers Confront Hunger

Students experiencing food insecurity face challenges their well-resourced peers don't have to encounter. They score lower on math exams, their attendance drops, and their mental health suffers. Teachers are front-line responders to youth hunger, and they inspire us to support them every day with the ways they innovate to address these crucial needs. 

Coach Pitts told us in his own words what hunger looks like in his classroom.

Coach Pitts' story is one piece of the puzzle. When we zoom out, we find that teachers tend to address hunger in three main ways:

1. Feeding students directly

Whether it's money spent out-of-pocket or through generous donations on DonorsChoose, many teachers stock their classrooms with snacks to curb hunger, support their students' focus, and reinforce positive behavior. On Fridays, they send home weekend bags to help bridge resource gaps for when kids aren't at school. They also source food storage and infrastructure, such as microwaves, fridges, and food pantries, to help make food accessible anywhere at any time.

"Meals at school may be the only meals my students eat," says elementary school teacher Mrs. Wratchford of Carneys Point, NY. "I want to make sure that they have food options while in my classroom."

2. Serving the broader community

Classrooms and schools have begun serving as neighborhood food pantries that provide for students and their families, sometimes alongside community partners. Teachers also empower their students to organize pantries and food drives themselves as a way of building empathy, leadership skills, and community engagement.

"Many of our families face food insecurity," Ms. Yawson wrote in her DonorsChoose project description for her middle school classes in Springfield, MA. "Help me give my students meal bags filled with simple, shelf-stable foods they can easily prepare at home such as pasta, canned vegetables, beans, and canned chicken." 

3. Connecting hunger to learning

Teachers make a point of linking nourishment to attention, learning, and positive behavior. Gardens, culinary programs, and sustainability projects reinforce nutrition lessons, teach young learners on food systems, and foster career skills for the future.

Mx. B, a high school teacher in Oakland, CA, demonstrated the power of connecting hunger to learning when they created a project titled "Micro-Kitchen Enablement for Engineering Students." In their project description, they wrote, "Having a functional kitchenette enables me to incorporate food-related lessons into my AP Computer Science curriculum such as the famous 'sunflower butter and jelly sandwich' lesson to introduce algorithms or College Board's 'Food Security and Hunger' module."

Turning DonorsChoose Data Into Meaningful Impact

When many teachers use DonorsChoose, the benefits compound. One project can grow into a wave of support and connection across a school, a community, a broader network of teachers, and classrooms that extends nationwide. We measure that transformative impact, and we're doing it by listening to and acting directly on teachers' voices and needs. Because when it comes to figuring out how to combat student hunger, teachers know what works.

Contact our partnerships team to learn how you can join foundations and corporate sponsors in turning DonorsChoose data into meaningful impact in your own communities.

Community isn't just a word; it's an action. And every day at DonorsChoose, we see the ways donors, partners, and teachers take action together to build a nationwide community that gets every student what they need to learn, grow, and thrive. It's no wonder that when we get our most generous partners together every spring, we all leave feeling connected, inspired, and clear about the work ahead.

In April 2026, our Partner Summit in Los Angeles gathered corporate social responsibility, education, and philanthropy leaders to dive deep and collaborate on solutions for the challenges our country's teachers face. Here are some of our favorite moments from the event!

Learning from the data

DonorsChoose data teaches us crucial information about students' needs on a hyperlocal basis. Our CEO, Alix Guerrier, pinpointed one such finding within recent data: that when it comes to child hunger, teachers are on the front lines. Hunger-related requests on DonorsChoose are surging, and the trend shows no sign of slowing down.

DonorsChoose data doesn't just teach us what each community needs – it also provides hyperspecific impact numbers, which our partners use to prove the ROI of their giving and advocate for continued support. 

Other data trends and insights we dove into tied back to the need for support around students' basic needs, navigating AI in the classroom, and workforce development. 

Learning from teachers

Visiting local classrooms is always one of the highlights of our Summit, and this year was no exception. Our trip to Venice High School expanded our understanding of classroom needs, provided an up-close look at how DonorsChoose benefits communities, and had us connecting with the teachers and students who receive our support.

Later, during our teacher panel hosted by W. Kamau Bell, educators shared aspects about their schools that would be hard to guess while just driving by — like how tight knit the families are with one another, just how many languages the students speak, and that teaching in the neighborhood you live in means getting to form meaningful relationships with young learners and families everywhere, from the classroom to the corner store.

Learning from each other

This year, we were thrilled to invite three DonorsChoose partners to share their expertise and perspectives in our partner panel. Stacey Classens (3M), Kendra Horn (Oklahoma City Public Schools), and Stuart Brown (Inspire Brands) discussed why place-based philanthropy matters to their work — "Local knows what local needs," Stacey said — before breaking down the impact that 3M, Oklahoma City Public Schools, and Inspire Brands have had on our country's students through partnerships with DonorsChoose.

That sentiment was echoed in the fireside chat with Greg Behrman of NationSwell as he spoke on how to stay cutting-edge in today's evolving and complex CSR landscape. Peer learning, service, and corporate courage were the main themes here. Greg emphasized the importance of listening with humility and learning from the ones on the ground.

At the end of our time together, many participants noted all that they'd learned from one another, from employee engagement strategies, to prioritizing teacher-led initiatives, to how to better leverage their partnerships with DonorsChoose.

Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, to each and every one of our partners.

Whether you attended our Partner Summit or you're looking forward to attending the next one, we're blown away by how special this partner community really is. We’re especially grateful to our host, Riot Games, for making this day possible in their beautiful headquarters.

We can't wait to keep building a better future for educators and students with you, one action at a time!

Announcing an action-packed week of classroom funding

‍This Teacher Appreciation Week, we’re turning appreciation into action.
‍DonorsChoose is the leading nonprofit classroom funding site for public school teachers. From May 4–8, donors and partners will bring tens of thousands of classroom projects to life.

Check back here each day at 9am ET for the latest reveal! 

MONDAY: THE TIPOFF

Teacher Appreciation Week has begun! And who better to tip off the action than a legend who knows that greatness starts with the right support? We’re thrilled to announce that Michael Jordan & Jordan Brand are doubling donations to every single project in America’s three biggest cities: Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles.
‍

TUESDAY: EVERY PROJECT MATCHED!

Teacher Appreciation Day is here — and appreciation means action. Thanks to SONIC Foundation, every single donation to will be doubled today, while funds last.

Teachers show up for students all year long. Today, let’s show up for teachers: Find an educator near you to support.
‍

WEDNESDAY: IT’S MATCH MADNESS!!

Thousands of projects, 13 partners, 1 wild day of funding. Check out all the matched projects here and make a teacher’s day with a doubled donation.

These are the partners stepping up to support teachers on DonorsChoose today:

Supporting Students with Disabilities 💛

• An anonymous supporter is doubling donations for every teacher requesting supplies that support students with disabilities.

STEM, Storytelling, and the Arts 🎨

• Disney is doubling donations to select storytelling and arts projects for PreK–1st grade teachers.
• General Motors is doubling donations to every single STEAM project, while funds last.

State by State, Town by Town 🗺️

• An anonymous supporter is doubling donations to every project from Nevada teachers.
• Cavens Ohana is doubling donations to books, basics, and warmth-care-hunger projects for every teacher in Hawaii. They’re also fully-funding all books, basics, and warmth-care-hunger projects in Hawaii County and doubling donations to every single remaining project in Hawaii County, too!
• Dalio Education is doubling donations to every single project from Connecticut teachers.
• Herb Kohl Philanthropies is funding select projects from Wisconsin teachers.
• The Montgomery Family Fund is doubling donations to book projects from Texas teachers.
• The Ned and Nathalie Fund is doubling donations to mental health projects from rural schools in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, South Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.
• Ripple is fully funding select projects in the San Francisco Unified School District.

An Extra Boost for Underfunded Schools 👏

• Dieux is doubling donations to select civics, government, history and geography projects from never before funded teachers at underfunded schools. 
• Peloton, Jess Sims, and U.S. Bank are teaming up to support select projects from underfunded schools in Houston, Texas and Seattle, Washington.
• Quill.com is doubling donations to select projects requesting Quill.com supplies at Equity Focus Schools.

THURSDAY: A MATCH FOR RURAL SCHOOLS

Teacher Appreciation Week is a nationwide celebration, but there are places that support sometimes doesn’t reach during a big week like this. To make sure every corner of the country gets in on the Teacher Appreciation Week celebrations, Maxwell/Hanrahan Foundation is doubling donations to rural schools.

Find a teacher at a rural school to surprise with a donation today.

FRIDAY: NO TEACHERS LEFT OUT

Appreciation isn’t something you say; it’s something you do. And every teacher deserves that real, tangible support. Today, on this last day of Teacher Appreciation Week, we’re making sure no teacher is left out. While funds last, every donation for teachers who have never been funded on DonorsChoose before is being doubled.

Support a teacher who has never been funded!

Additional funding is also coming in today from these generous partners:

• Endless Foundation is supporting select gaming projects.
• Humble Bundle is funding select literacy projects for never before funded teachers.
• Humble Hearts Foundation is supporting food, clothing, and hygiene projects at select schools in Philadelphia, Virginia Beach, Richmond, and Portland, Oregon.
• Optimum is supporting select STEM projects in Arizona, Louisiana, New Jersey, New York, Texas, and West Virginia.
• Peloton, Jess Sims, and U.S. Bank are teaming up to support select projects at underfunded schools in Detroit and New York City.
• Stahl Family Fund is matching select donations.

At DonorsChoose, we take pride in making connections. Since our founding in 2000, we've mobilized a community of 6.6 million donors made up of individuals, companies, and foundations who are passionate about helping students learn, giving $1.9 billion to classroom resource requests in 92,500 public schools across the country. Their support is more than just helpful, it’s essential; students often need more resources than they have available in the classroom to learn and thrive.

When our supporters give during the back-to-school season, teachers are able to fully stock their classrooms for the year and target their new students' specific needs. Funding campaigns during this season — many backed by our corporate and foundation partners — are one of the main ways we make sure students and teachers have what they need for a great start to the year.

Check out what our community accomplished during the 2025 school year, and get inspired for the one ahead!

Ripple's STEM Innovation Challenge and Match Offer

Using our platform to its full potential, Ripple committed to a 2X match offer on STEM projects, kicking off an Innovation Challenge in which teachers were encouraged to create projects that inspire student interest in STEM. An esteemed judging panel (including artist and activist John Legend, Yale psychology professor Dr. Laurie Santos, early childhood expert Monica J. Sutton, and the Ripple team) selected five teachers with the most innovative projects to win $100,000 to support their classroom and school. Thanks to Ripple and 7,430 members of the DonorsChoose community, over 6,000 teachers got the STEM supplies they needed to ignite their students' passion and curiosity, putting a whopping $2.2 million total towards STEM projects.

Maxwell/Hanrahan's Historically Underfunded Schools Match Offer

A single-day 2X match offer on projects from historically underfunded schools meant the Maxwell/Hanrahan Foundation and 16,000 donors were able to reach 7,900 schools with $3.9 million in funding, ensuring that students facing the biggest barriers to learning got the resources they needed to learn and achieve this school year.

Kamau & Friends Big Student Surprise

Stand-up comic and television host W. Kamau Bell donated his $1 million in Celebrity Jeopardy winnings to rally the public in supporting public school students. Then, he made a proposal: if donors made 10,000 donations on DonorsChoose in a single week, he would unlock a special match code on Friday. W. Bell's Kamau's Big Student Surprise spanned a whole week during the back-to-school season. From Monday to Thursday, we shared videos from school visits featuring Kamau's celebrity friends, encouraging giving on DonorsChoose to unlock the special Friday match code. By the time we reached Friday, our community unlocked a 1.5X sitewide match. In the end, this initiative inspired 29,000 donors to give $6.7 million for teachers and students nationwide.

Back-to-School Boost

In the name of Back-To-School season, we offered our donor community a one-day 1.5X match offer on every request to make sure every classroom had what they needed for a great start to the year. 43,000 of our generous donors supported more than 25,000 projects, leading to a total $8.2 million in funding.

The Power of Our Community

We love our DonorsChoose community of donors. Whether it's a corporate partner aligning their business goals with giving back, a foundation expanding their target to include young learners, or community members who just want every child to have a shot at success: when our donors come together, they make a bright future possible for every child.

Interested in talking about Back-To-School teacher support for Fall 2026? Contact our team.

All year long, teachers across the country submit requests through DonorsChoose, giving us a clear picture of what their classrooms are missing. Some needs are universal. Some are specific to a zip code, a community, and even regional weather. 

The tens of thousands of classroom projects posted so far in 2026 form the most detailed, teacher-sourced picture of what teachers and their students in every corner of the country need this spring. All told, students in Maine and students in Maui share more in common than you might expect — and the differences between them matter just as much. 

What we learned: 44 states (and Washington, DC) have the same #1 request

Of all the materials a classroom could, teachers in the majority of states have the same #1 request: Books. Replacing dog-eared copies, expanding from a single novel to a class set, diversifying and updating materials, filling out different reading levels, snagging the hottest new titles — teachers everywhere need help stocking their shelves.

From Ms. Kim Hong in Jackson Heights, NY who requested copies of Anne of Green Gables, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, The One and Only Ivan, Mo Willems’ Elephant and Piggie series, and the entire Hunger Games boxed set: 

“The average age of the books in our library is 1998, which means that many titles are over 30 years old. Some materials dating back more than 50 years; our library collection is very outdated. Our children deserve new, diverse, and high-quality resources that better reflect and serve our students’ needs.”

Mr. Hill in Harvey, IL explains the deeper reason why a wide range of books is so important: 

“Beyond academics, these books create a sense of belonging. Our library is now a destination where students see their interests valued, sparking organic ‘book talk’ and community. Your support ensures that every student, regardless of their background, has access to the stories they love.”

And the six states that didn’t have books as their top-requested item? They all requested food items most, but books was their #2. 

What we learned: Some states break the mold

No one-size-fits-all approach works for America’s classrooms. Classrooms in the Deep South request household disinfectants more than any other region. Rugs are especially popular in Vermont. Goldfish crackers and animal crackers top nearly every classroom snack list, except for Tennessee and West Virginia, which are all in on Pop-Tarts.

And sometimes the most vital items are directly dependent upon the weather. Hearing directly from teachers about their specific classroom needs is the only way to ensure students get exactly what they need.

From Alaska (Ms Ibarra’s classroom):
“With temperatures often plunging well below zero, children are at a higher risk for hypothermia and frostbite because their smaller bodies lose heat faster than adults. In Alaska, winter gear isn't just about comfort—it’s a safety essential.”

To Florida (Mr. Taylor’s classroom):
“Our Tampa school struggles with an old air conditioning unit that doesn't work properly when it is working at all. In addition, the humidity in our Florida classroom constantly approaches 100%. Students are constantly leaving the class to go find an area where the air conditioning functions, missing valuable instructional time.”

What we learned: There really is a Big 3

35 states have the same three items in their top three most requested resources: books, classroom snacks, and educational toys.

As Ms. Harper in Detroit, MI put it: “New school, new school year, new students. Same needs!” Her request for books from the Llama, Llama and Pete the Cat series, magnetic letters and numbers, and Play-Doh mirrors the needs of classrooms across the country. Books, snacks, and educational toys are universally needed — and appreciated — classroom materials.

Curious about what your favorite state needs most right now? Here’s the full list:

Full List

Alaska
Books
Food 
Markers & Highlighters

Alabama
Books
Food
Household Disinfectants

Arkansas
Books
Food
Markers & Highlighters

Arizona
Books
Food
Educational Toys

California
Books
Food
Educational Toys

Colorado
Books
Food
Educational Toys

Connecticut
Books
Educational Toys
Food

Delaware
Books
Educational Toys
Educational Toys

Florida
Books
Food
Educational Toys

Georgia
Books
Food
Household Disinfectants

Hawaii
Books
Food
Markers & Highlighters

Iowa
Books
Food
Educational Toys

Idaho
Books
Food
Educational Toys

Illinois
Books
Food
Educational Toys

Indiana
Books
Food
Educational Toys

Kansas
Books
Food
Educational Toys

Kentucky
Books
Food
Educational Toys

Louisiana
Books
Food
Headphones

Massachusetts
Books
Food
Educational Toys

Maryland
Food
Books
Educational Toys

Maine
Books
Food
Markers & Highlighters

Michigan
Books
Educational Toys
Food

Minnesota
Books
Food
Educational Toys

Missouri
Books
Food
Educational Toys

Mississippi
Books
Food
Household Disinfectants

Montana
Books
Markers & Highlighters
Food

North Carolina
Books
Food
Educational Toys

North Dakota
Food
Books
Educational Toys

Nebraska
Books
Food
Educational Toys

New Hampshire
Books
Markers & Highlighters
Educational Toys

New Jersey
Food
Books
Educational Toys

New Mexico
Books
Food
Educational Toys

Nevada
Books
Educational Toys
Markers & Highlighters

New York
Books
Food
Educational Toys

Ohio
Books
Food
Educational Toys

Oklahoma
Books
Food
Educational Toys

Oregon
Books
Food
Educational Toys

Pennsylvania
Food
Books
Educational Toys

Rhode Island
Books
Food
Educational Toys

South Carolina
Books
Food
Headphones

South Dakota
Books
Food
Educational Toys

Tennessee 
Books
Food
Educational Toys

Texas
Books
Food
Educational Toys

Utah
Books
Food
Educational Toys

Virginia
Books
Food
Educational Toys

Vermont
Books
Food
Rugs

Washington
Books
Food
Educational Toys

Washington, DC
Food
Books
Educational Toys

Wisconsin
Books
Food
Educational Toys

West Virginia
Books
Food
Educational Toys

Wyoming
Books
Food
Educational Toys

Youth-led community service doesn't just impact communities. Research shows that when students engage in just one hour of community service a week, they're more likely to graduate, and teens report that service supports their career readiness, connection, and resilience.

The Allstate Foundation is committed to empowering youth ages 5 – 25 to serve and improve communities. As the country's most trusted platform to connect the public to public schools, DonorsChoose shares those values — and that's why our three-year partnership is still going strong.

Our Strategy: Keep teachers in focus so students can shine

In 2023, The Allstate Foundation knew it wanted to inspire a movement of youth-led community service. Teachers are an essential part of that puzzle, and DonorsChoose is the perfect platform for empowering every teacher to get the specific materials their students need to succeed.

Enter: The Allstate Foundation's Service Stars campaign, a partnership with DonorsChoose and TIME for Kids that provides $500 grants to public school teachers to facilitate youth-led service projects in their classrooms and communities. Designed to make service accessible and actionable, teachers create community service projects around a range of "missions" that empower students to identify community needs, take action, and build leadership skills through real-world service — and they do it all on the DonorsChoose platform. Here's how our youth-empowerment partnership has evolved over time:

2023-2024: Service Stars comes to DonorsChoose

For Year 1 of the Service Stars campaign and DonorsChoose's involvement, we kicked off the school year with a "mission of the month," funding classroom projects that focused on impact themes such as boosting literacy, fighting hunger, or spreading kindness.

2024-2025: Expanding support year-round

During Year 2 of the Service Stars campaign, DonorsChoose and Allstate heard from teachers nationally. Their excitement to bring multiple mission-focused projects into their classrooms led us to expand grant opportunities to fund all Service Stars mission-related projects. We worked closely with The Allstate Foundation and TIME for Kids to help teachers request supplies related to all Service Stars missions, beyond the monthly rotating theme.

2025-2026: We deepen our reach and impact

For Year 3, The Allstate Foundation renewed Service Stars at $1.7M. TIME for Kids and The Allstate Foundation also gifted elementary school grantees TIME for Kids Activity Books to continue igniting learning for curiosity-driven students and teachers.

Our Impact: Funding thousands of classroom projects to engage thousands of students across the country

Three years in, Service Stars has evolved into a streamlined, high-engagement national campaign, funding thousands of projects and reinforcing The Allstate Foundation's commitment to youth empowerment, innovative social impact, and community leadership. Since 2023, we have awarded over $3.5M in grants to fund more than 6,000 classroom projects, reaching over 200,000 students across more than 1,500 public schools across the country. We asked several teachers who've benefited from the Service Stars campaign to share their stories.

"At Van Horn High School, our students face many challenges, but this project gave them the chance to lead with heart. With your support, we created a meaningful opportunity for students to recognize their peers, spread positivity, and experience the joy of giving 'just because.' Each week, students took pride in rolling through the halls with the Kindness Kart, celebrating classmates who showed perseverance, compassion, and kindness. In doing so, they learned that even the smallest gestures can create ripples of happiness and build a stronger, more connected school community. Together, we didn’t just deliver snacks — we delivered smiles, encouragement, and a reminder that kindness matters."

– Tammy Anderson, grades 9-12, Independence,MO

"For Lunar New Year, my students and I launched a project focused on cultural appreciation, community engagement, and spreading kindness. We began by learning about the traditions, values, and history behind Lunar New Year celebrations from various cultures including Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese communities. We hosted a Lunar New Year fair at school, promoting inclusivity and cultural awareness. Parents and students came to participate in making fortune tellers, headbands, and dragons. On Lunar New Year, students received red envelopes with stickers and a Gator dollar as they entered in the morning. We made the lion head out of the materials and it was used as a photo opportunity for the event."

– Diane Yokoyama, preK-2nd grades, Los Angeles, CA

"We more fully fitted our campus clothing closet so that students feel like they are shopping for great finds and actually look forward to visiting Frederick's Wardrobe. Initially intended for our foster and homeless students, we wanted to make it a welcoming and fun place for all students. With help from D.C. and The Allstate Foundation, we were able to do that!"

– Heather Dougherty, grades 9-12, Atwater, GA

We are so grateful to team up with generous partners like The Allstate Foundation, who prove that when we keep teachers at the heart of our strategy and give them the tools they need, students — and communities — can soar.

Want to see how your foundation or company can empower communities while supporting student learning?

Contact our team today.

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We say we appreciate teachers — on coffee mugs, at school board meetings, in graduation speeches, on social media, in the rhetoric of politicians of all stripes. We mean it, too. But appreciation has its limits. Words alone become a comfortable substitute for the harder thing: actually giving teachers what they need to do their jobs.

No one knows students like teachers.

Teaching requires subject-matter expertise, but also expertise in child development, social-emotional learning, conflict resolution, and the art of reaching a child who is difficult to reach. Teachers know their students best — they know who is excelling at math, who is struggling with reading, who focuses better when they sit near the front. They know who has a new sibling, whose parents just went through a divorce, who loves all things baseball, who is shy but quietly hilarious. They know things that no algorithm or standardized test can capture. Teachers are often the first adult outside a family to recognize a child's potential or spot a child in crisis. It’s impossible to overstate the difference a good teacher can make in the trajectory of a child’s life. 

This doesn’t add up.

On average, teachers report spending $655 of their own money per year on supplies for their students and classroom. And according to this study from the Economic Policy Institute, the relative gap between teacher wages and those of similarly educated professionals reached a record high of 26.9% in 2024. In addition to out-of-pocket spending, 49% of teachers report working at least one alternate job to supplement their teacher salary. 

For anyone who values education, those numbers send a strong signal: Students aren’t always getting the supplies they need. And despite heroic efforts, teachers can’t fill the gap on their own.

“You give us structure and stability.”

The pressure to provide for students is further complicated by a growing mental health crisis in America’s classrooms. More than 60% of teachers report being concerned or very concerned about their students’ mental health, and high school teachers are the most concerned. 

This is one more way that the expectations placed on teachers have expanded dramatically. Teachers are increasingly one of the most vital sources of stability in children’s lives and are striving to make their classrooms havens where learning can still happen.

In the words of Ms. K from Minnesota, a teacher who requests supplies on DonorsChoose:

“This year has brought significant change to our classroom community. During a period of deep disruption in the Twin Cities, nearly half of my students moved to a temporary virtual learning option our district offered… We had to rebuild routines, relationships, and our classroom identity very quickly. Your donations helped anchor us during that transition. The new supplies gave us structure and stability at a time when we needed it most.”

A well-resourced classroom isn't a luxury. It's a necessary environment that creates the stability and warmth that children depend on — especially when navigating difficult home circumstances or an unstable world outside school.

Show up. Give back. Fund a classroom.

Want to help but not sure how? Fortunately, teachers have taken the guesswork out of lending a hand. They are requesting exactly what their students need. 

When you fund a teacher’s request on DonorsChoose, you support a teacher in a tangible way. Appreciation becomes action. The teacher spending their paycheck on books, crayons, and construction paper can stop dipping so deeply into their own pocket. The teacher with a room full of both eager and struggling readers can supply books for every level. The teacher who dreams of bringing robotics to their students can bring that dream to life. The classroom becomes what it's supposed to be — a place of possibility, not scarcity.

Teachers have always shown up for our kids. It's time we show up for them.

Research shows that when students are given what they need to become strong readers, everything changes. Literacy skills can be a gateway to better mental health, improved self-esteem, stronger social skills, better report cards, and even fulfilling jobs down the line — and that's a gateway we need to keep open.

Humble Bundle, a trusted digital storefront for video games, software, and books, is no stranger to the power of literacy and giving back. They know that all students deserve positive, high quality educational experiences, and that many of those experiences begin with literacy skills.

When we teamed up with Humble Bundle, we knew we'd make an impact. But a 3X match offer totalling over $300,000 that supported 80,255 students and 741 teachers who'd never received funding before? Now that's a story worth telling. 

Funding literacy to fund the future

A key piece of our partnership meant first featuring DonorsChoose as Humble Bundle's August 2025 Charity of the Month. As the featured charity, 5% of all subscriptions went to DonorsChoose for the month.

Then, from August through September, DonorsChoose became a part of the IGN Gamescom Bundle, and customers could choose how much of their payment went to DonorsChoose.. Funds raised through both these campaigns supported a 3X match offer supporting middle and high school literacy projects on the DonorsChoose platform, with a specific focus on Literacy: Books and Reading Nooks for grades 6-12. The match offer also prioritized teachers who had never before received funding.

By combining these two donor communities and offering a sizable match offer, Humble Bundle and DonorsChoose were able to amplify literacy needs and help more classroom projects receive funding: over $300,000 in donations successfully funded 755 projects, supporting 741 teachers at 689 schools and – most importantly of all – empowering 80,255 students to learn and grow.

A+ projects funded for superstar teachers

We went straight to teachers to learn how resources funded by Humble Bundle were put to use. Here's what they had to say:

Of all the incredible projects funded by these campaigns, a few stand-outs caught our eye. Check out what these classrooms are able to achieve with generous donor support:

English Classroom: Engaging with Classic Literature

Mrs. Lucareli, Grades 9-12 
Camarillo, CA
Mrs. Lucareli had a mission: get her English students excited about Homer's gripping epic, The Odyssey. But the only version her district gave her was too challenging for her high school students, who struggle with their literacy skills. With Humble Bundle's help, Mrs. Lucareli was able to purchase graphic novel editions of The Odyssey that are more visually accessible, while supplementing with excerpts from Homer's original format. Now, all her students can experience why people still rave about one of the oldest surviving works of literature!

Sign, Shine, and Succeed: Empowering Deaf Learners

Ms. McPherson, Grades 9-12
Reno, NV
Ms. McPherson loves working with her Deaf and Hard of Hearing students, and wants them to be able to learn from materials that speak to their experiences. She worked with her students to make a wish list of ASL books, learning materials, bookshelves for a new classroom library, and a snack list that will help them stay fed and ready to learn. Thanks to Humble Bundle, this classroom just became a safer, more accessible, more inclusive place for all her students to thrive! 

Promote Literacy in My Science Lab

Ms. Hensley, Grades 6-8
Katy, TX
Ms. Hensley sees firsthand every day the link between literacy skills and success in the sciences. In recent years, she'd noticed a drop in her middle school students' basic academic vocabulary. When students increase their literacy skills, they become more able to turn science from an abstract subject to one with real-world implications. The Humble Bundle campaigns fully funded her request for a library of and subscription to Science World Magazine, which will help her students broaden their vocabulary and see specific scenarios of science in action!

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By partnering with education nonprofit DonorsChoose to pair professional development with classroom resources, state departments of education are achieving learning outcomes at accelerated rates while honoring the autonomy of teachers and the individual needs of each student. 

The Challenge: Accelerate literacy outcomes across the state

After his election in late 2024, Governor Matt Meyer spent the first 100 days of his term tackling the issues he found to be most urgent – and that meant declaring a statewide literacy emergency. As the Delaware Department of Education knew all too well, students across Delaware were struggling to hit reading goals, while their teachers lacked the resources and materials to support their success. Improving literacy outcomes across subject and grade level would take a comprehensive program that provides teachers with access to both professional development around The Science of Learning and additional classroom resources. And, as every good teacher knows, those new lessons would need some way to be put into action in order to drive a truly successful campaign.  

DDOE also identified 66 schools as needing extra literacy support. Wanting to make sure the students with the highest need got additional support, they knew that designating funding specifically towards those schools would prove crucial to accomplishing statewide literacy outcomes.

The Solution: Use DonorsChoose to turn professional learning into classroom action

DonorsChoose is a nonprofit that gives public school teachers the ability to request resources that will help their students learn, and connects them with supporters eager to bring their ideas to life. Since our founding in 2000, 6.6 million donors have contributed $1.9 billion, bringing nearly 3.5 million teacher requests to life. Our platform is easy to use and provides an ongoing resource for teachers beyond dedicated campaigns. Our focus on trust and integrity has consistently earned us top ratings from charity watchdogs like Charity Navigator. 

The Delaware Department of Education worked with our team to create a multi-pronged initiative, integrating our partnership into a broader state strategy including professional development and coaching. DonorsChoose served as the mechanism for translating lessons learned in those courses and coaching sessions into direct classroom implementation. DDOE worked with expert teachers to develop recommended literacy resources and bundles, and teachers were encouraged to select from vetted materials aligned with the Science of Reading. 

On October 10, DDOE launched the initiative. Every public school teacher was eligible to participate, regardless of grade level or subject area, and was encouraged to apply literacy strategies across disciplines (like math teacher Ms. Lockerd, who created a project to help students decode word problems). Each participating teacher received a donation of up to $750 to fund their classroom project. $1.1 million of the total $3 million was allocated for 66 schools identified as needing the most literacy support, ensuring students with the highest needs were especially uplifted.

The Results: Rapid allocation of funds focused on literacy in 10 days

Our partnership was able to fund $3 million for literacy-focused classroom projects, allocating the majority of those funds within only the first 10 days of launch. 4,251 teachers and projects received funding – that's more than half of all public school teachers in the state of Delaware, with 244 schools participating in total. By pairing professional learning with classroom resources, and respecting the autonomy and needs of working teachers, the Delaware Department of Education proved how combining a top-down change with bottom-up empowerment can enhance student learning.

For five years, DonorsChoose, the Hawai'i Department of Education (HIDOE), and renowned philanthropists Marc and Lynne Benioff have shared a common vision: support every public school in Hawai'i and inspire early-career teachers to remain in their profession. Since partnering, $25 million has been invested in supporting budding educators and classroom needs across Hawai'i.

The Challenge: Empower first- and second-year Hawai'i teachers while funding classrooms in every public school statewide

When early-career teachers set up their classrooms, they're often starting from scratch. Always wanting the most for their students, teachers frequently dig into their own pockets to buy the extra materials and resources that will make their classroom feel like a unique, comfortable, and engaging place of learning. That kind of financial strain puts an incredible burden on educators, and that kind of burden can make a teacher leave their profession altogether.

But the Hawai'i Department of Education discovered that when teachers across all career stages begin their years with fully stocked classrooms, they're better able to inspire their students' learning and more likely to stay in the classroom. If HIDOE could find a simple, equitable way to grow the funding pie and get teachers and students all the tools they need from day one, educators would have an easier time staying in the classroom. And with year-round funding available to all teachers, HIDOE could inspire sustained student success statewide.

The Solution: Year-round funding through DonorsChoose, paired with aid from noted philanthropists Marc and Lynne Benioff

DonorsChoose is a nonprofit that gives public school teachers the ability to request resources that will help their students learn, and connects them with supporters eager to bring their ideas to life. Since our founding in 2000, 6.6 million donors have contributed $1.9 billion, bringing nearly 3.5 million teacher requests to life. Our platform is easy to use, and provides an ongoing resource for teachers beyond dedicated campaigns. Our dedication to trust and integrity has consistently earned us top ratings from charity watchdogs like Charity Navigator. 

HIDOE partnered with DonorsChoose to launch multiple campaigns, funding teachers’ requests every fall and spring semester. For first- and second-year teachers, an up-to $1,000 donation delivered early in the fall semester allows them to fully stock their classrooms. Teachers were given multiple months to request materials and qualify for this donation, allowing them to assess their new students' needs and adapt accordingly. For all teachers in Hawai'i public schools, fall and spring campaigns also fully funded projects posted by any Hawai'i teacher, up to $750. In the fall and at the end of the year, $1,000 gift codes are awarded to the 15 Teachers of the Year. 

Marc and Lynne Benioff matched every dollar given by HIDOE, doubling the impact of state investment, expanding the reach of this campaign, and enabling broader participation with additional support for early-career educators.

The Results: Five years of teacher support and $25M in classroom resource funding statewide

Pairing state education resources with our exceptional crowdfunding platform and philanthropic support has proved to be a winning combination. In five years, our partnership has contributed a total of $36.5 million to the Hawai'i education system, with $25 million coming directly from HIDOE and matched by Marc and Lynne Benioff funding. 50,163 teacher projects have been fulfilled — and we're only just getting started.

With 9,414 teachers on the receiving end of this support and 29,490 classroom projects already funded, strong statewide participation is just one of the outcomes of our alignment. By running a funding campaign every fall and spring semester and adding DonorsChoose to their toolkits, the state is ensuring that teachers begin their careers with fully equipped classrooms, resources are equitably distributed, and teacher retention is supported through early investment. In Hawai'i, educators and students are cared for, from the first day of school to the last.

In July 2025, DonorsChoose launched the iHeartRadio Thank a Teacher campaign with longtime partner iHeartMedia. The contest recognized public school teachers who are shaping the future and highlighted the important role that teachers play in educating, mentoring, and inspiring students, despite facing limited resources and funding challenges.

During the contest’s run, iHeartRadio invited the public to nominate outstanding teachers who are going above and beyond to make a difference in their students’ lives. Select teachers were featured on their local iHeartRadio stations throughout the school year. 

In September, DonorsChoose randomly selected the first five winners to each win $5,000 DonorsChoose gift cards to provide supplies for their classrooms. Now, in February 2026, the last five winners are here! You can find all of the winners below.

Keep up the support for teachers! Use promo code THANKATEACHER and find a local teacher to support – and DonorsChoose will double your donation!

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Winter 2026 Winners

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Lisa Elkhay

2nd Grade Teacher

Brightwood Elementary School

Springfield, MA

What makes this teacher special, in the nominator’s words:

Mrs. Elkhay sincerely cares about all of her students. She differentiates and accommodates to meet the needs of all of her students. She is a leader on her second grade team being the veteran teacher. She also participates in after school activities with her students such as being a Girls on the Run coach for girls in grades 3-5 and being a basketball coach for students in grades 5 and 6. She is a truly dedicated teacher that deserves recognition for all of her work throughout her teaching career.

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Kathy Kaze

1st Grade Teacher

Leman Academy of Excellence

Parker, CO

Nominated by: Susan

What makes this teacher special, in the nominator’s words:

There is none better! Kathy cares deeply about each of her scholars, going above and beyond to provide them with what they need. She is a fabulous team member, too!

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Michelle Kelley

9th-12th Grade Life Skills Teacher

Mesquite High School

Mesquite, TX

Nominated by: Lynne

What makes this teacher special, in the nominator’s words:

Michelle teaches high school special ed. She has the patience of a saint. She cares about all of her students as if they were her own. Not only is she great with her students, she’s fantastic with communicating with their parents. I don’t know how she does it!

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Courtney Sem

Kindergarten Teacher

Stanley Public School

Stanley, ND

Nominated by: Nate

What makes this teacher special, in the nominator’s words:

Childhood dream was to be a kindergarten teacher, she makes an everlasting positive impact on all the young lives that she teaches. She taught for 8 years, took a break for maternity leave, and got the opportunity to start teaching again in Stanley.

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Lynda Worthington

Intervention Specialist

Open Door School

Coal Grove, OH

Nominated by: Shelli

What makes this teacher special, in the nominator’s words:

Lynda is a truly amazing teacher! She is the first to volunteer to help any of her co-workers. Her students love her so much. She goes above and beyond for them. Lynda is constantly trying to find new approaches to help her students improve. She loves all the kids in the school.

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Fall 2025 Winners

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Robert Brightbill

9th-12th Grade Teacher, Building Construction Technology

Dauphin County Technical School

Harrisburg, PA

Nominated by: Debra

What makes this teacher special, in the nominator’s words:

Mr. Brightbill is extremely knowledgeable in his field. Not only does he share his knowledge with his students, but he also instills giving and compassion in his students, teaching them to give back and pay it forward. He is very active at the school as well as in the community. He has the knowledge, skills, and compassion. He's just a great man and very deserving individual.

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Catherine Burke

5th Grade Math and Science Teacher

Gene Witt Elementary School

Bradenton, FL

Nominated by: Cara

What makes this teacher special, in the nominator’s words:

Catherine is amazing. She is always willing to help anyone and teaches students at their pace to ensure they understand the lesson. She volunteers to tutor students after school who need additional help - free of charge. She also attends the monthly School Advisory Council and PTO meetings to stay involved and provide her opinion from the teacher point of view.

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Beata Karczewski

9th Grade Science Teacher

Southeast Career Technical Academy

Las Vegas, NV

Nominated by: Ayesha

What makes this teacher special, in the nominator’s words:

Ms. Karczewski recently moved to Southeast Career Technical Academy from Bob Miller Middle School. She is an exceptional science teacher who truly loves sharing her passion for science with her students. She has been a Science Olympiad coach for many years and mentored students who have achieved multiple awards for the Science Olympiad state competition in Nevada. She spends endless hours on the weekend and will make multiple trips to the hardware store to help students succeed in their events. She is an outstanding mentor and colleague!

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Tiffany Lancaster

Pre-K Special Education Teacher

Plummer Elementary School

Washington, DC

Nominated by: James

What makes this teacher special, in the nominator’s words:

Mrs. Lancaster is an exceptional teacher. She uses her own money to provide a calm and entertaining area for her students. She treats each child like they're her own. She is a lifesaver in her community.

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Kimberly Yonts

3rd Grade Teacher

Kirkwood Elementary School

Clarksville, TN

Nominated by: Kalin

What makes this teacher special, in the nominator’s words:

Mrs. Yonts loves all of her students. She makes every effort to ensure all of her students reach their full potential. Most importantly she runs her classroom with love, respect and discipline. Because of this, her students perform really well. Parents love her. She is one of the most requested teachers by parents and fellow teachers. This is why I nominate Mrs. Kimberly Yonts. She deserves it.

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