LAWRENCE, Mass. — There's a new tool to help teachers stock their classrooms with supplies. It's called "Classroom Giving" and its creator compares it to a gift registry meets secret Santa.
Tyler Andrade is a teacher at Lawrence Catholic Academy. He considers teaching a calling and certainly didn't get into it for the money.
"One of the things I've purchased out of pocket are these book organizers," said Andrade.
This year, he estimates he's spent a thousand dollars of his own money on supplies. When he discovered the website Classroom Giving, he decided to let the world know what his classroom really needs.
"I mean, it couldn't hurt. So I submitted my name and within a day, my name was on his website," said Andrade.
Classroom Giving is like a gift registry for teachers. Teachers upload their wishlists and anyone can see it and send donations.
"The opportunity itself is a really neat idea, and if someone is willing to help my students and my classroom, I think it's a bonus," Andrade said.
The man behind Classroom Giving, Ben Adam, is a real estate businessman from New York City. Adam says he was inspired last year after a veteran in Arizona went viral when she posted her paltry paystub on Facebook.
"I am about private individuals doing their part," Adam said. "You don't have to be Bill or Melinda Gates. You can be a regular person like myself."
Hundreds of teachers have uploaded their wishlists, including teachers in Lowell, Lynn and Andrade in Lawrence.
"It takes a lot of work, it takes a lot of time and it takes a lot of money. And again, the money we don’t mind spending.... but the more the merrier. We’ll gladly take help," said Andrade.
Adam says Classroom Giving is already a huge success. He said 550 classrooms in 43 different states are waiting for supplies; 50 teachers have already received donations.
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