Blog

The EmpireCovers team took on the Big Climb to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

School: Sadlowski Elementary School, Chicago, IL

Teacher: Ms. Townsend, 3^rd & 4^th  Grade Teacher

Project: Help students stay safe while returning to school in-person

The Students

Sadlowski Elementary has adopted the inclusive education setting. Their goal is to create a community where all students feel welcomed and valued. Ms. Townsend teaches 3rd and 4th grade math, a total of 4 homerooms. Within her classes every child is unique, which is why it is important for her to provide her students with opportunities to learn in a variety of ways to best support their social, emotional, and academic needs.

The Project 

This project will be used to keep students safe during in-person learning. The presence of desk shields will help to ease many student's and parents’ anxieties about returning to in-person learning. Desk shields are needed in order to make a comfortable and safe in-person learning environment. The desk shields will also allow for students to be able to have instructional conversations in the classroom. Ultimately, these desk shields can help protect students from being exposed to Covid-19.

EmpireCovers decided to fully fund Ms. Townsend’s project to help these students return to the classroom while remaining safe. We know that the pandemic has been especially hard for schools, so we will continue to give back to schools who are struggling due to the pandemic throughout the year.

If you would like to support a classroom near you, visit www.donorschoose.org

Schools: Abram Jenks Elementary School, Philadelphia, PA
               Constitution High, Philadelphia, PA
               Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary School, Philadelphia, PA
               Cayuga Elementary School, Philadelphia, PA
               Woodrow Wilson Middle School, Philadelphia, PA

Teachers: Ms. Peduto, PreK - 2^nd Grade Teacher
                Mr. Rogerson, 9^th - 12^th Grade Teacher
                Ms. L, PreK - 2^nd Grade Teacher
                Ms. Danziger, 3^rd - 5^th Grade Teacher
                Ms. Rawling, 3^rd - 5^th Grade Teacher

Project: Help students and schools in Philadelphia by funding supplies that they need.

The Students

This time around for our Empire Gives initiative, we wanted to give back to schools and students in the local Philadelphia area. The students in all of the schools we donated to come from low-income households and do not have access to all of the resources and tools they need to be successful. Ms. Peduto’s students at Abram Jenks are energetic five-year olds who always come to school eager to learn. Mr. Rogerson, from Constitution High, is an athletics teacher whose students experience violence and negligence daily in their neighborhood, yet they come to school each day determined to succeed. Ms. L, from Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary School, says her young students, “live in one of the poorest places in the world, but they don't know it because they are rich in the spirit of learning”. Ms. Danziger, from Cayuga Elementary, says her students are curious and excited about learning. About 1/3 of the students are English Language learners and they also have a very high number of Special Education students with unique needs. Despite their learning obstacles or financial difficulties, the students come to their elementary school ready to learn. Lastly, Ms. Rawling’s class from Woodrow Wilson Middle School is culturally diverse and living below the poverty line. They love to come to school virtually and are excited to learn, especially when they know participating in her class can be fun.

The Project 

Each school that we funded had different needs. The students from Abram Jenks Elementary School needed supplies to help learn math. The materials will be used both at home and in the school. The students are learning about numbers and how to count and subtract. The supplies will help teach and keep the students engaged, learning and having fun.

Constitution High was in need of equipment for their athletic teams, which were hit hard because of the pandemic. Right now, they are waiting for sports to return. To encourage student athletes to stay in good physical condition and to do their best, they needed access to new gym equipment.

Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary School was in need of technology in the classroom in preparation for students returning back to the classroom. When the students began learning from home, the school gave away their Chromebooks to students so that they can learn online from home. However, they ran out and do not have enough for the classroom.

Cayuga Elementary students have adjusted, some better than others to the new normal of virtual learning. That being said, they are very limited, to using their Chromebooks. Some are prepared at home with a notebook and a pencil, but so many are not supplied with what is essential for a successful virtual learning experience. The students are in need of writing supplies which would increase their successful engagement and provide practical, yet needed tools to the dynamic learners.

Lastly, the class at Woodrow Wilson needs an Apple iPad, keyboard, and Apple Pencil so that Ms. Rawling can teach them without her old laptop shutting down in the middle of a classroom meeting. The advanced camera and microphone on the iPad would keep voices and faces crystal clear. The computer she currently used is not clear and lags constantly. Ms. Rawling wants to give her students the best education she can virtually but she feels like the technology she currently uses is hindering her and the class.

EmpireCovers decided to fully fund all of these schools to lend a helping hand to the teachers and students that are in need, right in our backyard. We know that the pandemic has been especially hard for schools, so we will continue to giveback to schools who are struggling due to the pandemic throughout the year.

If you would like to support a classroom near you, visit www.donorschoose.org

School: KIPP Columbus Elementary & Middle School, Columbus, OH
Teacher: Ms. Mayer, 3^rd - 5^th Grade Teacher

Project: Help give students STEM kits for additional at home learning with virtual learning.

The Students

Ms. Mayer has the honor of teaching a wonderful group of 5th graders this year. Her school is currently 100% remote. All of the students receive free lunches and 90% are of color. They have a special education population of around 10%. The students use their curiosity and perseverance to accomplish goals and show their true spirit of seeking knowledge when given the right tools and a place to grow. A child who attends KIPP Columbus is four times more likely to graduate from college than their peers, and the school hopes to see that number continue to rise in the coming years.

The Project 

The students have been learning at home so far this school year, which can be very challenging for them. Many of them do not have resources at home to help foster the love of creativity and science. These different science and STEM kits would give the students the opportunity to continue their learning and love of science at home after school hours. The STEM kits include a microscope, a geode discovery kit, and more. The students need exciting and hands-on activities to keep their minds learning at home, and off of the uncertain world around them. STEM education is so important in today's society and unfortunately, many of the students are not participating in these types of activities at home. It is important for their mind and curiosity to continue to grow even at this time. The STEM kits will fill the gap in materials and creativity they are experiencing at this time.

After fully funding the project, Ms. Mayer wrote back to us saying, 

Dear EmpireCovers.com,

Thank you so much for your contribution! I am so excited to be able to share these STEM projects with my students at home and can't wait to see their faces light up when they get them! Thank you for believing in my students! Happy holidays to you and may the new year be filled with many blessings!

With gratitude,
Ms. Mayer

If you would like to support a classroom near you, visit www.donorschoose.org

School: PS 47 John Randolph, Bronx, NY
Teacher: Ms. Carmona, 3^rd - 5^th Grade Teacher

Project: Help give students a safe learning environment that recognizes social distancing with seat storage sacks, caddies, and book totes.

The Students

Ms. Carmona teaches students with a Special Needs. The children range from ADD, ADHD to Autistism, ED (Emotionally Disturbed) and Learning Disabled. Every day is a new beginning for her when it comes to teaching her "shining stars". They're amazingly curious and full of wonder. This world is a strange place and these little darlings are just beginning to find their place in it. Some of them are on medication to control their impulsive behavior and outbursts. All of them hold the keys to Ms. Carmona's heart. One of her challenges is to reorganize and redirect their energy. It's difficult enough in the classroom; now, with this hybrid/ blended learning, style, they're struggling more than ever.

The Project 

Space, is the key word these days. As the new school year starts, the goal is to keep the children safe and healthy while continuing their education. One of the best ways to do that is to keep Social Distancing Protocol in place. Giving each child their own book baggie and tabletop container will help stop the spread of germs and movement in the classroom. Each student will have what they need at their immediate reach. The containers and chairback bookbags will create an individualized learning environment for each child. The Teacher caddy and magnetic bins will allow Ms. Carmona to be mobile and organized on the go.

After fully funding the project, Ms. Carmona wrote back to us saying, 

I'd like to express my sincere thanks for your generosity. This is all so New and so Challenging. I aim to provide an atmosphere of safety and security for my students and you have just set the tone for them. Your donation has provided individuality that will allow a consistent work flow, without making them feel estranged I'm eternally grateful. I wish you Safety, Health and Abundant blessings.

With gratitude,
Ms. CARMONA

If you would like to support a classroom near you, visit www.donorschoose.org

School: Timpanogos Elementary School, Provo, UT

Teacher: Mrs. Gould, 3^rd - 5^th Grade Teacher

Project: Help supply students with books to educate them on diversity and inclusion. 

The Students

On March 13, Mrs. Gould met with her class as normal and said their goodbyes that afternoon when the bell rang without ever thinking they wouldn't meet in the room the next Monday. It was announced after school that day that schools would be closed and learning must be continued online for the remainder of the year. Although Mrs. Gould's students always came to school with a great attitude and ready to learn, she was amazed to see their willingness to learn remotely. The majority of her students come from low-income households. Their parents work long hours during the day and aren't always home to help with homework. Seeing her young students take responsibility for their education and completing assignments without having an adult around had her in awe.

The Project 

Having a variety of books to choose from allows young readers to explore their reading preferences. With libraries and schools being closed, Mrs. Gould's students currently do not have access to adequate reading material which in turn limits their reading altogether. Getting books into their hands will get them reading. However, it's not just any books that she is trying to get into their hands. The books Mrs. Gould selected for this project include books that teach students about diversity, inclusion, and racism. Students all around the country are currently being exposed to topics that are difficult and sometimes uncomfortable to talk about. Having books that address these topics allows students, teachers, and parents to start conversations that need to be started. By giving her students these books, she can create opportunities for her students to have conversations in a safe environment where they are allowed to ask questions and express their feelings and emotions.

After fully funding the project, Mrs. Gould wrote back to us saying, 

Dear EmpireCovers.com,

Thank you so much for your generous donations of books to my students! I'm so excited to share these books with my students and the important life lessons they'll learn from them!

You've given us books that will create an opportunity to have conversations about these topics. I can't wait to update you on the difference you've made in my classroom.

With gratitude,
Mrs. Gould

If you would like to support a classroom near you, visit www.donorschoose.org

School: Lincoln Elementary School, Maywood, IL

Teacher: Ms. Mazzetta, 3^rd - 5^th Grade Teacher

Project: Help give students an immersive experience with augmented reality STEM toys.

The Students Ms. Mazzetta is a math and science teacher. Her class is composed of 42 culturally diverse ESL students – a quarter of which are diagnosed with special needs. What she loves most about her students is their positive attitude and enthusiasm for virtual learning! She admires their ability to persevere through this challenging time. The majority of the students are faced with detrimental circumstances beyond their control, such as: homelessness and low socioeconomic status. Nevertheless, they come prepared and ready to learn – at a distance – every day. Ms. Mazzetta is driven to provide her students with the most opportunities to succeed – this includes using technology to enhance their understanding of scientific and mathematical concepts.

The Project  Ms. Mazzetta hopes to provide her students with technology they have never before witnessed - augmented reality! By using augmented reality, students can learn even outside the classroom. Merge Explorer puts science and math standards in the palms of students' hands. The standards-aligned STEM app allows students to hold the solar system, explore DNA, play math games, investigate plate tectonics, dissect a frog, and more! This STEM toy will help students easily acquire, process, and remember information. It will increase learner engagement by letting students participate more actively with the content, rather than being passive recipients of information. With this tool, students will be able to explore the learning content themselves, which can make them feel more empowered and motivated to improve skills during this difficult time.

After coming across Ms. Mazzetta's enthusiasm toward learning and hearing about her students, we knew we had to help them during this challenging time that all students are facing. We fully funded her project of acquiring a number of Augmented Reality STEM Toys to add some fun and excitement to at-home learning for the students. After receiving the STEM Toys, Ms. Mazzetta wrote to us saying,

Dear EmpireCovers.com,

WOW, I am at a loss for words! Your donation has come at just the right time. These MERGE cubes will be the perfect tool to keep my students motivated/excited to learn amidst this pandemic and through the rest of the school year! Math and science are subjects that allow for definitive thinking, but when that clear-cut thinking is combined with technology (i.e. augmented reality), the subjects come ALIVE! Thank you so much. MERGE Explorer will be put to good use - both now and for future years to come! I look forward to sharing the results of my implemented project (and lots of pictures) with you.

With gratitude,
Ms. Mazzetta

If you know of a classroom in need, especially during these challenging time, let us know and we may fund their project on DonorsChoose.org. 

 

 

School: Cook-Wissahickon, Philadelphia, PA

Teacher: Mrs. Maguire, 

Project: Supply students with school essentials that they have already run out of

The Students Mrs. Maguire works in a public school in the Philadelphia School District with a very diverse population. Her students come from many different home situations with a vast variety of backgrounds. Regardless of their home lives, the students come to school every day, eager to learn something new. Mrs. Maguire teaches math and science to exceptional fifth-grade students. They push her out of her comfort zone and make her want to be a better teacher. They had a lot of exciting activities and projects planned for the year, but needed help acquiring supplies.

The Project  This project will provide students with all of the everyday supplies they need. They were already running out of their supplies at the half way point of the year. When the students receive new supplies they get excited and interested in learning again. This is an amazing opportunity to reward the students for their hard work and show them how much we support their education and future. Through this project students will receive pencils, paper, classroom supplies and other resources that are used every day to create a successful and fun learning environment for each and every student. The students truly deserve and need these resources. 

After fully funding the project, Mrs. Maguire and her students sent us handmade thank you notes which we all enjoyed reading. You can read Mrs. Maguire's letter below and the students' notes in the images above. 

Dear Donor,

Thank you so very much for your generous donation to our classroom. Through this project we were given many basic supplies that we take for granted in our lives but could be the one item that makes learning possible for a student. We have students that go without at home or even in classrooms in the past. I try to provide my students with all the basic supplies they need in order to create a classroom they enjoy being in. Through this project students were provided tissues, paper towels, sanitizing wipes, printer paper, colored paper, and sharpened pencils. These items can often seem unimportant but they are extremely essential in a classroom and provide students with an excuse free classroom to do their work. For many students school was not a place they wanted to be in the past. Through the projects I have gotten funded this year, my students now look forward to coming to school everyday and have everything they need to be successful when they arrive. My students are showing amazing progress this year. They are all very grateful for the support that has been shown to them through donors choose projects. Thank you very much.

School: Sawgrass Bay Elementary School, Clermont, FL

Teacher: Ms. Thornton

Project: Donate the necessary materials to help students with autism develop social skills.

The Students Ms. Thornton's class is composed of special needs children who deserve the best education possible. This is not always possible when supplies are limited, budgets are being cut, the technology they have is archaic, and the teacher is forced to constantly reach into her own limited finances to make purchases for class. Most of the students are on the spectrum and have a variety of special needs such as social personal skills education, occupational, physical and speech therapy, and basic life skills which are essential for everyday living. The tools and supplies they need to be successful are not part of the typical school budget. With the state continuing to cut funds and IDEA being drastically reduced, Ms. Thornton needed to reach out for more assistance. 

The Project  The students each struggle with the basic social skills we take for granted on a daily basis. In class they are learning to share, take turns, and be patient (in small doses). Ms. Thornton had the opportunity to borrow some of the books she asked for and read them to the students, and they are written in a way that the students can relate to and understand. For example, they can all identify with 'don't be a soda pop head'. Having these materials as part of her class to refer to on a daily basis would be greatly beneficial to the students. Social skills are highly necessary for all students but especially students on the spectrum and they are often something that are often overlooked as part of the daily curriculum. Learning these social skills now will not only help the students become better individuals but also assist them in coping with their differences. By learning better social skills the students will have the opportunity for a better future.

We were very touched by Ms. Thornton's story and realized that we had to help out her students since there were not many other resources left available that would provide for them. After providing the funding for the materials she requested, she sent us very sweet thank you letter:

 

Dear EmpireCovers.com,

Students on the Spectrum often times lack the necessary Social Skills to be successful in school and life. With the curriculum that was purchased with the assistance of donors choose and the awesome donors who gave, my students will be able to immerse themselves in a curriculum that is rich with the necessary social skills they will need to be successful in life. The books that were selected were careful though out because they are relatable and easy to understand for my class. They speak to the students on their level, break concepts down and allow the are filled with colorful pictures that catch the students eye. My students love when new books come into the classroom. Unfortunately, many of the books we receive are often times used books and are not brand new. For my students to be able to have brand new books in their possession truly makes their day. It adds to their self esteem and worth when they get new books because it makes them feel important. Thank you for helping add to those feelings!

With gratitude,
Ms. Thornton

We were very happy to hear that the new books and materials will be able to help these students, and we can't wait to help the next classroom in need. If you would like to help out the schools in your community, visit www.donorschoose.org

Message Jake Goldblum, CEO of EmpireCovers

Helping Our Community and Customers

The lack of medical masks has become a growing issue and concern, so we have taken some actions to help as best as we can:

• We urge our customers to create their own masks so that the highest quality masks can make their way to the health care workers that need them the most.
• We have created an easy instructional video that teaches you how to use our covers to create your own masks (Linked Above).
• While these masks are not medical grade, our covers are made from a similar non-woven breathable material found in surgical masks, have a soft inner lining, and are splash proof, which mitigates the spread of the virus.
• One car cover can make up to 150 masks. We encourage those who have access to the equipment needed to make at-home masks to make as many as they can to provide them to their neighbors and community members who are unable to sew them themselves.
• For those who want to make their own masks and do not have a sewing machine, we recommend using duct tape or a stapler instead.

Facts About Face Masks

• Face Masks (aka Personal Protective Equipment) are in extremely short supply in the United States. They should not be confused with N95 Masks—which are sealed to the face and critically needed by medical personnel and those who are known to have been directly exposed to patients with proven or suspected COVID-19. However, as evidenced below, face masks have real value and benefit.
• Face masks have real value and benefit and should be supplied to and are STRONGLY recommended to be worn by older adults, those with underlying medical conditions and others who need to leave their home for any reason
  • Face masks, importantly, prevent users from touching their mouth and nose with their possibly contaminated hand.
  • See Boston Globe article , 3/19/2020, “Guidance against wearing masks for the coronavirus is wrong – you should cover your face”.
  • Face masks PREVENT potential asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic transmission and are strongly recommended by older adults and those with underlying medical conditions. See authoritative British Medical Journal, the Lancet, 3/20/2020: “Rational use of face masks in the COVID-19 pandemic”: Perhaps it would also be rational to recommend that people in quarantine wear face masks if they need to leave home for any reason, to prevent potential asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic transmission. In addition, vulnerable populations, such as older adults and those with underlying medical conditions, should wear face masks if available. Universal use of face masks could be considered if supplies permit (Emphasis added)
• The CDC’s advice similarly includes: To protect yourself: wear a face mask if you are sick and cover coughs and sneezes.

We will continue to do our best to help our community and customers during this crisis. I'd like to personally thank everyone for their continued support and patience. EmpireCovers has and always will keep you covered. Stay safe, stay inside, and we will get through this together.

Best,

Jake Goldblum

 

COVID-19 Resources and Articles

-Boston Globe, Guidance against wearing masks for the coronavirus is wrong - you should cover your face: https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/03/19/opinion/guidance-against-wearing-masks-coronavirus-is-wrong-you-should-cover-your-face/

-The Lancet, Rational use of face masks in the COVID-19 pandemic: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanres/article/PIIS2213-2600(20)30134-X/fulltext

-CDC, COVID-19 Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/prevention.html

-White House, 15 days to slow the spread: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/03.16.20_coronavirus-guidance_8.5x11_315PM.pdf

-World Health Organization, Advise for the public: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public

-Google, COVID-19 Resources: https://www.google.com/covid19/