![students holding backpacks](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/62a9de894608850cc777401b/62bb95f72d17d836694dfc51_SLE_Backpacks.jpeg)
A good education starts before the school bell rings, when students have nutritional meals and warm, clean clothes, which allow them to focus on learning. Teachers often see firsthand the impact of poverty and homelessness on their students, but not every community has resources for teachers to address these unique needs.That’s why we’re helping teachers start a new type of classroom project on DonorsChoose.org: Student Life Essentials.To help you get started, we’re also releasing a new match offer today: every dollar donated to qualifying projects will be doubled thanks to our generous partners.
What is a Student Life Essentials Project?
The process for creating a Student Life Essentials project is the same as for any other traditional project on our site. A lot of different items from many of our vendors fit under this umbrella, but they all have one thing in common: they help make sure your students can start each day ready to learn.
What projects fall into this category?
Here are a few items that you might request for a Student Life Essentials project:
- Hygiene items like toothbrushes, floss, or deodorant
- Everyday clothing items, like sneakers or winter coats
- Food to send home with hungry students for evenings or weekends
Check out this collection of projects for more inspiration.
How do I get started?
Visit our Help Center to find out how to get started, including how to submit your project to be eligible for our Student Life Essentials Launch match offer.Ready to go?
Looking to donate? Here's a collection of Student Life essentials Projects.