Teachable Moment: DonorsChoose.org

DonorsChoose.org was started by New York City high school teachers in 2000 to connect public schools with individuals who want to help address the scarcity of classroom materials and the impact on students' learning experiences. The group screens all project proposals, allows donors to choose the specific project they wish to fund, and collects teacher and student feedback and thank-yous for donors to read.

Why We Like It: The site empowers people to specify the use of their charitable donations for projects they believe will have the greatest impact. Donors engage directly with the real needs of school classrooms, which benefit from new supplies and technologies to improve kids' education.