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This teacher needs your help!

Mr. Z. from Philadelphia, PA is requesting lab equipment through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Mr. Z. is requesting

Growing with a Garden

Help me give my students a park like setting including a fruit and vegetable garden in the middle of their concrete school yard.

  • $405 goal

Hooray! This project is fully funded

Hooray! This project is fully funded

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Keep the momentum going! Make a donation to Mr. Z. for his next project!

My Project

We are in a mostly low-income/high-poverty urban school district with many of our students facing several challenges both in and out of the classroom. We strive to make school an enjoyable experience where all students feel safe and engaged.

The neighborhood surrounding our school is a typical urban neighborhood.

Our school is flanked by houses, an apartment building, concrete and very little open space for grass or trees. Our school yard is all concrete and about half of it is cracking or cracked. We also have a long strip (6' by 80') of dirt, weeds and debris. A few years ago, we had some murals painted on our school as part of a beautification project, but that long strip remained an eyesore. The goal of our Project is to take that long strip and create a community garden with flowers, vegetables, fruit trees and landscaping for our students and community to enjoy. We want to bring a park like setting to our little piece of this urban environment. We will be able to teach our students about growing their own food, and hopefully teaching them to be able to create their own home gardens.

In the fall, we began the Garden Project with about 20-25 elementary aged students who were dedicated to cleaning out the debris. Winter came and we had to put the project on hold until now. As the weather gets warmer, we are going to go back to cleaning up the area, get it ready for planting and put our landscape design together. We will be using a recycle/reuse philosophy so old tires, rocks, brick and other local items will be used in our design.

Mr. Z. Julia Ward Howe Elementary School Grades 3-5

Celebrate Black teachers and kids! This project supports a Black teacher or a school where the majority of students are Black.

Equity Focus

At this school, more than 50% of students are Black, Latino, and/or Native American, and more than 50% come from low-income households. Learn how your donation to this school supports a more equitable education.

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

More about Mr. Z.

Philadelphia, PA View local requests

Nearly all students from low‑income households Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more

200 students impacted 3donors

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Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
BIRD WISH Metal Bird Bath for Outdoors, Rust Proof Weather Resistant Durable Birdbaths for The Garden with 4 Ground Stakes for Outdoor Garden Yard Patio Lawn Decorations • Amazon Business $49.99 1 $49.99
AMERICAN PLANT EXCHANGE Muhly Ornamental Grass Live Indoor Outdoor Plants, 6" Pot, with Pink Flowers • Amazon Business $21.82 2 $43.64
Wild Wings WWCH3 Cedar Blue Bird Box House • Amazon Business $18.98 2 $37.96
TK64267584T Non-Woven Landscape Fabric, Black Polypropylene, 3 x 50 ft • Grainger $17.29 2 $34.58
Bloomsz Hosta Mixture (3 Pack) • Amazon Business $15.03 2 $30.06
Bushel and Berry - Rubus Raspberry Shortcake (Thornless Raspberry) Edible-rubus, Red Raspberry, #2 - Size Container • Amazon Business $25.41 1 $25.41
TK64267585T Poultry Netting, 20 Gauge, 1 in Mesh Size, 1 ft, 50 ft • Grainger $20.66 1 $20.66
Mademax Solar Bird Bath Fountain Pump, Upgrade 1.4W Solar Fountain with 4 Nozzle, Free Standing Floating Solar Powered Water Fountain Pump for Bird Bath, Garden, Pond, Pool, Outdoor • Amazon Business $15.99 1 $15.99
GROWNEER 24 Packs Peat Pots Seed Starter Trays, 144 Cells Biodegradable Seedling Pots Germination Trays, Organic Plant Starter Kit with 15 Pcs Plant Labels • Amazon Business $11.99 1 $11.99
Sow Right Seeds - Flower Seed Garden Collection for Planting - 5 Packets Includes Marigold, Zinnia, Sunflower, Cape Daisy, and Cosmos - Wonderful Gardening Gift • Amazon Business $10.99 1 $10.99
Miracle-Gro Seed Starting Potting Mix, 2-pack 8 qt., For Use in Containers • Amazon Business $10.74 1 $10.74
Seeds Alpine Strawberry Baron Solemacher Everbearing Climbing Berries Heirloom for Planting Non GMO • Amazon Business $8.99 1 $8.99
Herb Garden Seeds: > 8,000 Premium Herb Seeds, Variety Pack (12x) for Planting - Herb Set for Garden, Indoor Gardening, Balcony - Packaged in 2021, Sow by 2024 - Indoor Herb Garden Kit by OwnGrown • Amazon Business $7.99 1 $7.99

Materials cost

$308.99

Vendor shipping charges

 FREE

Sales tax

 $0.00

3rd party payment processing fee

$4.63

Fulfillment labor & materials

$30.00

Total project cost

$343.62

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$60.64

Total project goal

$404.26

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

 $404.26

2 Donors

-$227.13

Donations toward project cost

-$193.06

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$34.07

match offer

-$177.13

Match offer toward project cost

-$150.56

Match offer to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$26.57

Still needed View calculationHide calculation

 $0.00

Our team works hard to negotiate the best pricing and selections available.

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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mr. Z. and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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