Spotlight: Furniture for Education Worldwide

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Surplus Furniture Can Help Underprivileged Schools
Surplus Furniture Can Help Underprivileged Schools

Given that some schools have so much money, resources and furniture and other schools around the world have little or close to none, Furniture for Education Worldwide (FEW) was established to help readdress the balance.  Launched in London at the end of 2008 by Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Education, this national charity seeks to “send all the surplus and redundant furniture from the Building Schools for the Future project (BSF) to Schools in deprived countries around the world that have very little or no facilities.”  This includes:  computer tables, classroom tables, computer chairs, classroom chairs, folding chairs, folding tables, school cafeteria tables, podiums and anything else that falls into the category of school furniture.

At the time of this writing, FEW had already sent 40 feet worth of containers filled with all types of school furniture as well as school books, blackboards, etc., to the Asian region. This furniture has completely enhanced the learning experience of these less-fortunate children around the world.  For example, those kids who previously had to use their bags for support when sitting can now use a school desk and are thus able to work in a much more structured environment.  In addition, the work of FEW has been having a very positive impact on the environment, promoting green living.

Donate Items to an Educational Charity

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donateMany people do not have that much extra cash around to give to charities, but they may have tons of really great possessions which they no longer need, which would make fantastic donations for many educational charity groups. When organizations receive things they need instead of cash they then can use the cash they do raise for other things they need. From cars to church furniture to pet food, there is a charity somewhere that will accept your stuff.

Here is a very partial list of educational organizations in the Washington DC area which will accept all kinds of items including cars, computers, clothes, and much, much more:

•    Four Paws Rescue Team- This organization saves abandoned, neglected and generally unwanted cats. They have an aggressive adoption policy which is promoted hand in hand with humane education to end pet overpopulation. They accept hand towels and sheets, cat litter and/or cat food, cat carriers, cat beds, small cardboard boxes (used as litter boxes at adoption fairs), cat toys, stamps, calling cards, gift cards.

•    Rebuilding Together- Montgomery County: This group rehabilitates homes of low income families and educates people about the plight of the elderly and disabled. Beneficiaries of this organization are mostly disabled, elderly or both. The rebuilt homes can then offer warmth and safety, and a greater level of independence and dignity to homeowners. Rebuilding together accepts: pick-up trucks, new hand tools, new power tools, printing services, graphic design services and warehouse space in Montgomery County.

•    Neighbors’ Consejo- This group seeks to educate the public about the problem of homelessness end to try and end it among Latinos. They offer a large list of services, including outreach to the street, treatment for addiction, job training, mental health care and help finding permanent housing. The consejo will accept household appliances and furniture, household items, toiletries, glassware and landscaping services.

Accountants for Charities and Education

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Non-Profs need accounting services too.
Non-Profs need accounting services too.

Not only do businesses need accounting support: non-profits are also in need of competent accounting. In steps James Cowper, a firm which has a long history of involvement with charities, schools, academies and other non-profit groups.
According to their website, James Cowper

“is committed to high standards of technical expertise, whether focused on audit, tax or other advisory services.  Members of our team have a strong charity sector focus, and receive training and support to make sure that they are aware of changing technical, tax and other issues affecting charities and educational organizations.  Key individuals are members of the ICAEW charity group and a number have specialist charity accounting qualifications.”

This UK-based firm is a member of the Kreston UK charities group, an organization that supports independent accounting firms which share an interest and a specialization in charity accounting.

James Cowper offers the following services to charities and non-profits.
•    Accounting
•    Audit
•    Tax
•    VAT
•    Outsourcing
•    Payroll
•    Restructuring and insolvency
•    Mergers and collaboration
•    Governance advice and trustee training

Easily Find the Educational Institution You Want to Support

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Donate a Cafeteria Table to a School You Love
Donate a Cafeteria Table to a School You Love

Whether a student is 3 years old or 103, there are organizations which will help less well-off prospective students pay for their education. These various groups help fill the gap where government falls short. That is where the public, people like you, come in. Here are some facts about education and its support in the United States:

•    The difference between the money the poorest and the richest districts have to spend on education per child annually is over $1,000 per child.

•    Nevertheless, there is an excellent rate of young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 who have either a high school diploma or its equivalent alternative credential such as a General Educational Development (GED) certificate. In 2009 the rate was 90 percent.

•    Unfortunately, despite the excellent rate of finishing high school or getting a GED, over 70 percent of Americans between 18 and 24 years old cannot find New Jersey on a map, and 11 percent cannot even find the United States.

Charity Navigator is a website which helps people learn about institutions which require public support to operate successfully. With the aid received from generous people schools can afford basic items such as cafeteria tables and classroom chairs, and other equipment essential to the successful operation of any school. This website makes it easy to give to exactly the type of school you believe in, and wish to support.

A Gift for Teaching

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Helping a School Helps the Students that Learn There
Helping a School Helps the Students that Learn There

There are so many educational charities and good causes in the world today. It’s often hard to know where to put your time and money. One great cause is A Gift for Teaching. Since 1998, they have been working to improve education. Their goal is to transfer the community’s surplus materials and resources to teachers who need them.

It’s a really simple idea. If people have more supplies than they can use, and others don’t have enough money to buy school supplies, there is no reason that those two can’t be matched. Based in Florida, the organization has helped more than 142,000 students in the community to have what they need to learn. They also have programs in other areas that allow students and teachers to get what they need for their music lessons, their art classes and their physical education demands.

This is one example of the many ways that organizations work to creatively help students. A school desk has very little worth to a student if he doesn’t have pencils or paper to use at that desk. And the Gift for Teaching tries to ensure that the school lockers are filled with the right supplies and that the teachers and students have what they need to excel.

Charities that Do Good

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A Gift of School Lockers Can Enhance the Learning Experience
A Gift of School Lockers Can Enhance the Learning Experience

Whether you’re in the market to give money to a charity or you want to devote your time, there are many great educational charities out there today. Finding the right charity, and the one with which you will connect, is the tricky part. Here, we list some of the best educational charities today and the work that they do. While some help to increase test scores and others will offer new school desks or school lockers as needed, they are all aimed at doing good.

Teach for America – They recruit college graduates to teach in rural and urban public schools. (here is a link to them if you want it –

James Madison Education Fund – This fund gives graduate fellowships to qualifying students and works to inspire people to be outstanding teachers.

Math Counts Foundation – They offer fun and challenging math programs for middle schoolers to achieve academically.

Adopt a Classroom – This organization connects donors with teachers so that the donors can learn what supplies the teachers need. They can donate school furniture, school supplies and more.

Black Student Fund – They provide financial assistance and support to African American Students from k-12. It helps to make sure that students stay in school and help kids to graduate.

GiveWell Educational Charity Guide

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GiveWell Helps Donors Decide Where to Send Contributions Around the World
GiveWell Helps Donors Decide Where to Send Contributions Around the World

GiveWell is an organization which helps potential donors find the best international charity to support.

Visit their website to learn more about how they help charities around the world that help to improve education through building classrooms, awarding scholarships, training teachers, and more.

There is also a guide on how to assess which charity is most deserving of donations by asking some questions about the charity, such as:

•    Is the goal to improve attendance or to improve school quality?
•    What evidence is available regarding the likely impact of any improved performance/attendance on later life outcomes?
•    How would activities change if more revenue than expected was received? Would more revenue translate into more students served, and up to what point?

Educational Charities: What Do They Do?

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old fashioned classroom chairs
Educational Charities Can Help School Excel

You have some extra money that you want to give to a good cause, but where should you give it? People talk about giving to educational charities, but it’s not always easy to know which of these charities are legitimate and which aren’t. Which of these charities will really do good deeds, and what things do they support? Here is a basic understanding of what educational charities do.

Some of these charities build classrooms or buildings for government-run schools. They might even offer school furniture as part of their plan as well, helping both the building and the creation of the supplies with in the building.

Some of these charities offer scholarships to help individual students to find better schooling. This might be particularly relevant in developing countries.

Some charities train teachers and help to place teachers, while others work on enhancing the supply list at the schools. This might include adding computers to the classrooms, enhancing the textbooks and supplies, helping students to afford uniforms, and building libraries.

Certainly, it’s important to figure out which charities will use your money in the most productive way, but in general, educational charities are very helpful for getting schools off the ground and helping them to build up their supplies and their offerings.