As the end of the school year approaches, our attention turns towards teacher gifts. Browse Pinterest and you’ll find all kinds of creative ideas. But if you want to give something that really stands out, give a gift that gives back. (Plus, your kid’s teacher probably has one of those crayon monograms by now.)
Here are a few ideas from one of my favorite organizations, Food for the Hungry:
Life Changing School Fees ($50): Keep children in school and change their world forever. For a girl, dropping out of school often means she will marry young, even as young as 11 years old! The opportunity to finish school means she will not only have the education for a brighter future, but delays marriage until she is older and less likely to die from childbirth complications. School fees also help keep orphans and other desperately poor children from a life of homelessness and poverty.
School Supplies ($8): Equip children to do their best for a whole year. Each “Hope Pack” includes pens, paper, notebooks and other school supplies children need most. Not having pencils and paper at the start of the school year mean a child will drop out of school.
Library Books ($12): School libraries in Bolivia, Peru and the Philippines are missing one important thing: BOOKS! Your gift will give poor children access to reference books, textbooks and other brain-building reading materials in their own language and at their reading level.
Tippy Tap ($8): The “Tippy Tap” handwashing system is a simple construction of wood, rope and gallon jugs that dispense water in just the right amount. But its secret to saving lives is the hygiene education that comes with it! Your gift gives a family everything they need to practice good hygiene for years to come. 150 families in Rwanda and Kenya need a Tippy Tap right now!
Chickens ($25): Chickens are easy to care for and they produce a steady supply of eggs. The chicks grow up to produce more eggs, creating a dependable source of nutrition and income. 1,320 chickens are needed for families in Kenya.
Donate one of these in the teacher’s name, print out a description of the gift and stick it in with a card. I promise, they’ll like it.
Give your child’s teacher a gift that gives back.
