Over the past few years, deep funding cuts have forced school administrators to reduce the amount of basic supplies for the classroom and eliminate programs designed to raise awareness of environmental issues. In addition, teachers are not provided with funds to obtain adequate hands-on training materials for each student in their class, which results in lower participation and graduation rates. This results in teachers spending a yearly average of over $1000.00 out of their own salary, as well as countless hours after school, to purchase materials and produce curriculum-based projects to overcome these hurdles. Meanwhile, local businesses are literally throwing away tons of usable products into our landfills, straining an already overburdened ecosystem. Our society faces a crisis as growing demand for natural resources out paces our ability to replenish them.
Treasures 4 Teachers (T4T) in Tempe, Arizona is changing that trend. An innovative, effective, and cost-saving 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that has been instrumental in a paradigm shift within the business and educational communities, T4T is getting noticed.
One of the primary goals of Treasures 4 Teachers (www.treasures4teachers.org) is to facilitate a change in how businesses look at the materials they normally would throw away and find creative alternatives to the existing "disposable" mentality. Treasures 4 Teachers' overall mission is: "To promote Earth-Friendly education and ensure that children and classrooms across Arizona have the tools for learning by transferring the community's surplus materials into the hands of educators and students, regardless of economic status." With so much being thrown away, and the tremendous need to help students excel in school, it would make sense if there were a large number of agencies in existence to handle the job.
Unfortunately, there are no other organizations in Arizona doing what T4T does at this time. In April of 2007, after 4 years of successful collaboration, Resource Area For Teaching (RAFT) of Arizona combined its operations with Treasures 4 Teachers in Mesa to form Treasures 4 Teachers, Inc. This merger provided the new organization with access to additional resources for its members through an alliance with the national Kids In Need Foundation. Treasures 4 Teachers is leveraging these resources to create satellite locations to serve additional communities throughout Arizona.
By providing educators with repurposed materials to teach students about the environment, while also enhancing their science, math, language, creative, and problem-solving skills, Treasures 4 Teachers proactively addresses some of the most critical issues faced by our community.
Treasures 4 Teachers is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides a truly unique resource for educators and kids throughout Arizona. Our focus is making hands-on learning easy and cost-effective while improving our educational system and helping to protect the environment. Visit http://www.treasures4teachers.org to find out more about this innovative and creative organization in Arizona.
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