Award-winning non-profit AdoptAClassroom.org and the national off-price retailer Burlington Stores are proud to team up for the fourth consecutive year to help offset the money that teachers spend out of their own pockets each year, to provide much-needed educational materials for their students to learn and succeed. Since the partnership commenced, the campaign has funded nearly 36,000 teachers, supporting more than 900,000 students in underserved communities across the nation.
Now through Labor Day, Monday, September 7th, Burlington is encouraging their shoppers to donate $1 or more at check-out at one of their more than 730 stores nationwide. A portion of the funds raised in their Dallas stores will support teachers and their students locally in the community. The balance will be used to support those nationwide by providing essential resources, like distance learning supplies and tools to teachers at schools with high-need student populations within Burlington store communities. Donating as little as a $1 at check-out will go a long way in supporting teachers to help students succeed this school year.
Distance learning caused by the pandemic has created added challenges for both teachers and students nationwide. Teachers estimate that 43 percent of students have become disengaged, often due to lack of critical resources like the Internet. As a result, 45 percent of teachers said that their spending has increased since distance learning began, with 70 percent mailing or delivering supplies such as worksheets, pens, pencils and notebooks to students’ homes to help keep them eager about learning.
“During these unique and extremely challenging times, students still need to learn, and teachers still need to teach. We want students to be able to have access to supplies wherever learning will take place this school year,” said Michael O’Sullivan, CEO, Burlington Stores. “We have a long-standing partnership with AdoptAClassroom.org, and we are excited to once again join them in continuing to support teachers and students in our store communities nationwide.”
“This work wouldn’t be possible without the amazing support from partners like Burlington,” said Ann Pifer, Executive Director, AdoptAClassroom.org. “Their ongoing commitment has made a significant difference for teachers and students nationwide, and only emphasizes, regardless of the unusual times, education continues to be the foundation for success – especially for our underserved communities.”
In June 2020, in response to COVID-19, AdoptAClassroom.org surveyed U.S. educators to find out how much PreK-12 teachers spend on school supplies in the era of distance learning.
AdoptAClassroom.org received nearly 4,000 unique, completed surveys from PreK-12 teachers at public, private, and charter schools nationwide. The survey found that during the 2019/2020 school year teachers are spending more than ever before, regardless if they are teaching in the classroom or from their homes. To learn more, visit the 2020 AdoptAClassroom.org survey.
