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This teacher needs your help!

Ms. Nelson from Durham, NC is requesting lab equipment through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

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Fully Funded

Ms. Nelson's classroom raised $1,137

Sustainable Learning Garden

Help me give my students the opportunity to garden year round by continuing to cultivate not only plants, but also with social emotional skills, language, science knowledge and literacy skills.

Classroom photo
Ms. Nelson profile photo
Ms. Nelson Murray - Massenburg Elementary School
Durham, NC Grades PreK-2

My Project

Over the past year, our kindergarten and first grade students have been working hard cultivating our school garden. Students have been growing not just plants, but also in their language skills, social-emotional skills, life cycle knowledge, motor skills and planning. We have seen nonverbal students begin speaking and students learning English for the first time grow in confidence in a calm, safe space. While the garden has fostered learning and growing, we have some remaining challenges.

In our second year, we hope to create sustainable systems and year-long, hands-on opportunities for students to engage in gardening.

During the colder parts of the year, it is difficult to have outdoor projects for students to work on. The greenhouse will allow us to continue to care for plants, start seedlings, and make observations and predictions. We also hope to create a more sustainable system with the compost bin. This year, we have had challenges finding enough quality soil to support our plants. Composting provides amazing opportunities to learn about sustainability, living and non-living things and a sustainable solution to this problem.

Seeds and fertilizer will help us start new plants, expose students to a wide variety of edible plants and allow students to have the tools to care for them through the whole life cycle.

We hope that these materials allow the garden to continue to be a haven for students. Thank you for your support as we grow young hearts and minds!

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Nearly all students from low‑income households

40 students impacted 10 donors
Ms. Nelson Murray - Massenburg Elementary School Grades PreK-2

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Durham, NC 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

40 students impacted 10donors

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Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
Keter Marvel Plus 71 Gallon Resin Outdoor Storage Box for Patio Furniture Cushions, Throw Pillows, Garden Tools and Pool Floats, Brown • Amazon Business $62.04 2 $124.08
YITAHOME 120 Gallon (450L) Large Outdoor Compost Bin, Composter Box with Snap-on Top Lid and Aeration System, Lightweight Garden Compost Barrel Tumbler, Easy Assembly • Amazon Business $86.99 1 $86.99
VEVOR Walk-in Green House, 55.5 x 55.5 x 78.7 inch, Portable Greenhouse with Shelves, High Strength PE Cover with Roll-up Zipper Door and Steel Frame, Set Up in Minutes, for Planting and Storage • Amazon Business $58.64 1 $58.64
Gardeners Basics Survival Vegetable Seeds Garden Kit Over 16,000 Seeds Non-GMO and Heirloom, Great for Emergency Bugout Survival Gear 35 Varieties Seeds for Planting Vegetables 35 Free Plant Markers • Amazon Business $28.45 2 $56.90
Miracle-Gro Water Soluble All Purpose Plant Food - Fertilizer for All Indoor or Outdoor Plants Including Roses, Flowers, Vegetables, Houseplants, Trees, and Shrubs, 12.5 lbs. • Amazon Business $23.99 2 $47.98
Bonnie Plants Herb Garden (4-Pack), Live Plants, Grow Fresh Grilling Garnishes, Sage, Thyme, Oregano & Rosemary • Amazon Business $23.57 2 $47.14
Worth Garden 4 Tier Mini Greenhouse - 63'' H x 27'' L x 19'' W - Sturdy Portable Gardening Shelves with PVC Cover - Small Green House Use in Indoor & Outdoor for Plants Flowers • Amazon Business $43.99 1 $43.99
HOME GROWN 70 Variety Vegetable & Herb Seeds 32,000+ USA Non-GMO Heirloom Survival Seeds Garden Kit for Spring, Fall, Winter Indoor & Outdoor Planting Starter Set for Home Gardeners & Preppers • Amazon Business $37.99 1 $37.99
Paper Junkie 24 Pack Blank Books for Kids to Write Stories, A6 Colorful Notebooks Bulk, 4.3x5.5 in Unlined Travel Journals Scrapbooks for Students Sketching • Amazon Business $18.61 2 $37.22
HECTOLIFE 100-Pack 1 Gallon Flexible Flower Plant Nursery Pots, Plastic Plant Pots with Drainage Holes,Garden Flower Pots for Succulents, Seedlings, Cuttings, Transplanting • Amazon Business $29.99 1 $29.99
Organo Republic 25 Winter Vegetable & Herb Garden Seeds Variety Pack for Outdoors & Indoor Home Gardening 22,840+ Non-GMO Heirloom Seeds Broccoli Beet Carrot Cabbage Radish Pea Mint Thyme Parsley • Amazon Business $23.74 1 $23.74
25 Summer Vegetable & Fruit Seeds Variety Pack - 1,870+ Non-GMO Heirloom Veggie & Fruits Seeds for Outdoors and Indoor Home Gardening, Including Collards, Tomato, Pepper, Okra, Onion, Bean, Cucumber • Amazon Business $23.74 1 $23.74
Altman Plants Live Houseplants (6PK), Indoor Plants for Delivery Prime, Live Plants and Gardening Gifts for Plant Lovers, Planters for Indoor Plants with Potting Soil, Live House Plants Indoors Live • Amazon Business $23.30 1 $23.30
JERIA 12-Pack 10 Gallon Grow Bags, 300G Thickened Nonwoven Garden Pots,Heavy Duty Fabric Pots with Reinforced Handles • Amazon Business $22.99 1 $22.99
Jucoan 40 Pack 4 Inch Net Pots, Garden Slotted Mesh Net Cups, Plastic Orchids Pot Plant Nursery Basket with Wide Lip for Hydroponics • Amazon Business $18.98 1 $18.98
NatureZ Edge Zinnia Seeds for 2026 Planting Outdoors, Over 650 Flower Seeds, 5g, Non GMO Made in USA, Bulk Semillas De Flores para Sembrar, Variety Mix, Easy to Grow Zinnia Seed Mix • Amazon Business $8.79 2 $17.58
Bonnie Plants Sweet Mint Plug, Live Plant, for Salads, Desserts, and Drinks, Full to Part Sun, 3 Cubic in., 6 Pack • Amazon Business $15.70 1 $15.70
Seed Starter Mix • Carolina Biological Supply Company $15.03 1 $15.03
Peat Pots, 102 Pack 3.15 Inch Biodegradable Planting Peat Pots for Seedlings, Garden Plant Seed Starter Pots with Drainage Holes Seed Starting Pots for Organic Vegetable Flower, Bonus 50 Plant Labels • Amazon Business $13.99 1 $13.99
Convino: A Compost Starter/Accelerator Which Help to Reduce Kitchen Waste Odor and Convert Yard Waste to Fertile Humus for All Composting Systems. Comes in 1 Package That Contains 4 Packets Inside • Amazon Business $9.99 1 $9.99
30 Assorted Packages of Vegetable Seeds, 15+ Varieties, All Seeds are Heirloom, 100% Non-GE • Amazon Business $9.99 1 $9.99
Drought Resistant Wildflower Seeds - 1oz, Open-Pollinated Bulk Flower Seed Mix for Beautiful Perennial, Annual Garden Flowers - No Fillers - 1 oz Packet • Amazon Business $9.99 1 $9.99
Organo Republic 7 Melon & Watermelon Seeds Variety Pack 480+ Non-GMO Heirloom Fruit Seeds for Planting Fruits in Individual Seed Packets, Home Garden Seeds for Hydroponic, Indoor & Outdoors Gardening • Amazon Business $9.49 1 $9.49
Gardeners Basics, Flower Garden Seeds for Planting Outdoors Flower Seeds (5 Variety Pack) Daisy, Marigold, Cosmos, Sunflower, Zinnia Varieties for Bees, Pollinators Wildflower Seed • Amazon Business $9.45 1 $9.45
Gardeners Basics, Milkweed Seeds for Monarch Butterflies (4 Variety Pack) Common, Showy, Butterfly and Rose Varieties Attracts Butterflies, Bees and Pollinators Heirloom Flower Seeds Wildflower Seed • Amazon Business $9.45 1 $9.45
Kadaon Garden Sprinkler, 360 Degree Rotating Lawn Sprinkler Large Area Coverage - Adjustable, Weighted Gardening Watering System • Amazon Business $8.96 1 $8.96
Heirloom Pollinator Flower Seeds 3 Pack for Planting - Attract Butterflies, Bees, Hummingbirds - Nectar & Pollen Rich Perennial & Annual Wildflowers for Pollinators - Survival Garden Seeds • Amazon Business $8.89 1 $8.89
Seed Needs Edible Wildflower Seed Packet Collection (7 Varieties of Flower Seed for Planting) Non-GMO Heirloom & Untreated - Includes Viola, Pansies, Chives, Borage, Calendula, Nasturtium & Bee Balm • Amazon Business $8.49 1 $8.49
Marigold Sparky Flowered Mix - Beautiful Flowers Seeds for Planting Indoors and Outdoors in Your Home Garden - 1998+ Non GMO Mix Seeds - 100% USA Grown - Annual, Open Pollinated Wildflower Seeds Bulk • Amazon Business $6.95 1 $6.95
2300+ Seeds Perpetual Strawberry Four Seasons Strawberry Seeds Fruit Seed for Planting Heirloom Non-GMO Seed for Hydroponic Garden Sweet High Yields • Amazon Business $6.60 1 $6.60
Mammoth Sunflower Seeds for Planting - Grow Giant Sun Flowers in Your Garden - Non GMO Heirloom Seeds - Full Planting Instructions for Easy Grow - Great Gardening Gifts (1 Packet) • Amazon Business $5.50 1 $5.50
Gardeners Basics, Bok Choy Chinese Cabbage Seeds for Planting - (Pak Choi) Heirloom, Non-GMO Vegetable Variety- 1 Gram Seeds Great for Summer, Spring, Fall and Winter Gardens • Amazon Business $4.79 1 $4.79

Materials cost

$854.51

Vendor shipping charges

 $1.95

Sales tax

 $66.65

3rd party payment processing fee

$12.82

Fulfillment labor & materials

$30.00

Total project cost

$965.93

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$170.46

Total project goal

$1,136.39

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

 $1,136.39

7 Donors

-$1,058.24

Donations toward project cost

-$906.85

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$151.39

Matching donations from our partners

-$69.50

Match offers toward project cost

-$59.08

Match offers to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$10.42

Excluded support for DonorsChoose

-$8.64

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 Ms. Nelson and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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