Candidacy pays off: Just a word from Stephen Colbert raises $59,000 for charity.

[Ian David]

Candidacy pays off

Sure, Stephen Colbert has dropped out of the presidential race.

But that has only enhanced the maverick political philosopher’s true power.

When Colbert announced he was running, the Charleston, S.C., native made an offhand comment that people should make donations to DonorsChoose.org toward schools in South Carolina. The organization procures books and classroom materials for teachers across the country. After 10 days, the group was gifted $59,000.



http://www.kansascity.com/news/nation/story/365808.html




Support DonorsChoose.org Directly
DonorsChoose.org is a simple way to provide students in need with resources that our public schools often lack. We perform a lot of work, nevertheless, to ensure the integrity of our philanthropic marketplace. When a teacher proposes a student project at DonorsChoose.org, for example, staff and volunteers carefully screen the proposal. If the proposal is funded, DonorsChoose.org purchases the materials, shipping directly to the school.

More:
https://secure.donorschoose.org/donors/quickdonation.html

[thepurpose]

1. I like this program, but I want to make sure there is no way administrators

can steal this money from the kids and teachers. I really hate to be so cynical, but I am sick of donating to seemly good causes only to find out later there are thieves in the mist.

[1monster]

2. I don't know anything about this particular program, but I do know that there

organizations out there that teachers themselves apply to for grants for class projects. The money is dedicated to the class project and not the the school.

When my son was in elementary school, a fourth grade teacher applied for a grant to put on a fourth grade program acting out Florida's history. I know this because I was asked to make the costumes for the play. (I built twelve full and several partial sixteen century costumes for those kids in three days... with precious little sleep during that time period.)

The money that paid for the fabric and other necessities came from a grant directed to the fourth grade project.