You're on track to get doubled donations (and unlock a reward for the colleague who referred you). Keep up the great work!
Take credit for your charitable giving! Check out your tax receipts
Donate
To use your $50 gift card credits, find a project to fund and we'll automatically apply your credits at checkout. Find a classroom project
Skip to main content

Help teachers & students in your hometown this season!
Use code HOME at checkout and your donation will be matched up to $100.

This teacher needs your help!

Ms. Mendez from Bronx, NY is requesting books through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Ms. Mendez is requesting

It All Begins with Books

My students need nonfiction books on a wide range of reading levels to start the school year off on the right foot and to keep them growing as readers.

  • $570 goal

Hooray! This project is fully funded

Hooray! This project is fully funded

Keep the momentum going! Make a donation to Ms. Mendez for her next project!

Help Ms. Mendez

Keep the momentum going! Make a donation to Ms. Mendez for her next project!

Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month

Celebrate Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month

This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.

My Students

Do you remember the day you started first grade? You probably walked into school with the words of family and friends echoing in your mind, "This year, you'll learn to read!" Now imagine how you would have felt upon entering the classroom, looking around and seeing almost no books waiting for you.

I teach in the South Bronx.

90% of my students receive free lunch. Most come from working class families, where Moms and Dads are working long hours and several generations may be crammed into very, very small apartments. In many cases, the classroom environment is the only place where my students have access to books. These kids love to read and can't seem to get enough of learning new facts about their world. The majority of my students this upcoming school year were with me last year in kindergarten. Throughout the year they, their parents, and I all worked hard to build the foundations of literacy...to teach them sight words, early phonics skills, and comprehension strategies. Having been granted the opportunity to loop with my class to first grade, I can't wait to pick up where we left off and help these wonderful kids make the leap from emergent to well-developed readers.

My Project

There is, however, one major obstacle standing in our way. The classroom my students and I will inherit this fall is almost completely devoid of books. The teacher who occupied that space this year had to independently acquire all her own materials, and is quite understandably taking them with her for the use of her new class. This leaves me and my students with a serious problem. How can I help them strengthen their reading skills without quality books available on their reading levels? In order to build a sound foundation for reading, kids need to spend 20-40 minutes a day independently engaged with appropriately leveled texts that give them the opportunity to practice skills and strategies acquired during shared and guided reading. Additionally, the Common Core Standards place a heavy emphasis on childrens' ability to read and comprehend nonfiction texts. As a result, I am seeking funding for a 120 book set of nonfiction texts which span all 1st grade reading levels.

My students absolutely love to read.

Each week when they choose new books for their individual reading baggies the looks on their faces remind me of Christmas morning. Please help me provide them with the range of books they will need to be enspired and challenged all year long!

Ms. Mendez PS 69 Journey Preparatory Grades PreK-2

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 Ms. Mendez

Bronx, NY View local requests

More than three‑quarters of 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

23 students impacted 14donors

Boost your odds

Add a profile photo in addition to your classroom photo. If you add a photo, it'll show up right here on your project page.

You are more likely to receive funding if you put a face to your name.

Upload a photo

Top rated for efficiency and transparency.

You donate directly to the teacher or project you care about and see where every dollar you give goes.

Expand the "Where your donation goes" section below to see exactly what Ms. Mendez is requesting.

See our finances

Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
Grade 1 Nonfiction Set • AKJ Books $447.57 1 $447.57

Materials cost

$447.57

Vendor shipping charges

 FREE

Sales tax

 $0.00

3rd party payment processing fee

$6.71

Fulfillment labor & materials

$30.00

Total project cost

$484.28

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$85.46

Total project goal

$569.74

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

 $569.74

10 Donors

-$560.92

Donations toward project cost

-$484.28

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$76.64

Excluded support for DonorsChoose

-$8.82

Still needed View calculationHide calculation

 $0.00

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

View complete list Show less

Give the most requested basic supplies

See teacher requests

Give back to your community

Find opportunities to impact local needs by exploring a map of classroom projects near you.

See local area

Project Activity

Project Activity
Back to top

DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

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 Ms. Mendez and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

See how DonorsChoose works
{"pmaHash":"","showProjectRecommendations":true,"leadGenEnabled":true,"hideTeacherDetails":false,"schoolState":"NY","teacherPossessivePronoun":"her","PMsManager":null,"schoolGradeType":{"id":1,"name":"Early Education"},"TeacherPMForms":{},"completingDonationAmount":0,"teacherHasClassroomPhoto":true,"proposalURL":"https://www.donorschoose.org/project/it-all-begins-with-books/1016845/","mayHaveReplacements":false,"numStudents":23,"teacherScreenName":"Ms. Mendez","isEquityFocus":true,"proposalHash":"14815107","isApplePayMobileOnly":true,"progressBarPercentage":100.00,"photosPublished":true,"queryString":"","DonorPMForm":null,"schoolCity":"Bronx","teachersOnPage":[49071],"isTeacherViewingTheirOwnProject":false,"minimizedLeadGenEnabled":false,"proposalId":1016845,"proposalMessageFormModel":null,"numActiveProjects":0,"verifyShowPhotos":"","eligibleToBeCopied":false,"authorIds":{"49071":{"owner":"Ms. Mendez","donationSalutations":{}}},"displayedPercentFunded":1.0,"proposalsOnPage":[1016845],"pmaId":"","teacherProfilePhotoURL":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/136/teacher-placeholder-1_136.png","teacherHasProfilePhoto":false,"currentWorkflowStatusCode":21,"teacherChallengeId":133148,"isApplePayEnabled":true,"fundedByTarget":false,"activeProject":null,"donorIdsForImpactPhotoCheck":["MTg4NTU0NA==","MTg4NTMzNw==","MTg4NTQxNw==","MTg4NTU1Mg==","MTg3MzA0Ng==","MTg3MjU3NQ==","MTQ3NzgxOA==","MTg3MzM3OQ==","MTg4NTQwNA==","MTg5MDQ="],"teacherId":49071,"schoolCounty":"Bronx","fullyFunded":true,"isStudentLed":false,"isExpired":true,"schoolStateObj":{"code":"NY","name":"New York"}}