Google Donates $1 Million in Supplies to Los Angeles Public School Teachers

Google Donates $1 Million in Supplies to Los Angeles Public School Teachers

On Monday, Google surprised hundreds of teachers from the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) with donations of pencils, books, printers, and other school supplies, totaling nearly $1 million, says local ABC news affiliate ABC7.

The donations came via a nonprofit website called Donors Choose, which allows public school teachers to post classroom project requests that can range from pencils to microscopes. Donors can give any amount to the project of their choice. When a project reaches its funding goal, the materials are shipped to the school.

Donors Choose states it serves as an online charity to public schools and public charter schools in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., and vets every classroom project request. Donors Choose partners include Google, Chevron, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Disney, Staples, Horace Mann, and the National Education Association Foundation (NEA).

“Anything from pencils to technology, it’s going to help the kids in the classroom. Any professional with a well-supplied toolbox will be more effective,” said history teacher David George. “I’m blown away by the generosity. It’s super cool.”

As ABC7 reports, Google’s nearly $1 million donation assisted each of the 769 LAUSD teachers who used Donors Choose for financial help. In total, the company covered 1,071 requests, including funding for an eighth-grade class trip to Washington, D.C.

“We know it can be a lot of hard work. We’re happy to help when we can,” said Thomas Williams, senior director of engineering at Google.

Actor Kevin McHale of Glee, a graduate of LAUSD, joined Mayor Eric Garcetti at the donation event held at Marina Del Rey Middle School in Los Angeles.

“Go on DonorsChoose.org and see the work that they’re doing, because I don’t think people realize how much money teachers spend out of their own pocket to provide for their students,” said McHale.

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