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.

Your school email address was successfully verified.

See this teacher's page

This teacher needs your help!

Mrs. Velez from Chicago, IL is requesting books through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Mrs. Velez is requesting

Growing Our Literacy Garden in Kindergarten

Help me give my students an updated, relevant, and diverse library in which they can grow their mindsets.

  • $1,090 goal

This project expired on August 31, 2025.

This project expired on August 31, 2025.

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 Project

Books are essential items to harvest a love for learning and reading. My classroom library was partially gifted to me from a family member but these books are much outdated for the little brains that are growing within my room.

Students need to be able to access a library in which their are books that can be easy to read, diverse, and relevant.

My hope is to be able to get some books that are:

1. Decodable books that students can begin to read independently.

2. Diverse books in which students can see themselves within the characters and also be able to see the views of people from other cultures and tradition.

3. Relevant books in which students can see characters that are not only classic story characters but characters they love watching and interacting with at home as well.

Mrs. Velez McAuliffe Elementary School Grades PreK-2

Equity Focus

This project directly supports students at a historically underfunded school. Learn more about our Equity Focus.

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Chicago, IL 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

20 students impacted

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 Mrs. Velez is requesting.

See our finances

TEACHERS, FEELING INSPIRED?

You can start a project with the same resources being requested here!

Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
Elephant and Piggie Collection - 18 Book Set - Collection • AKJ Education $133.46 1 $133.46
10 Book Set: Lee & Low Antiracism Collection (grades PreK-2 elementary books from underrepresented authors) • DonorsChoose Featured Favorites $110.00 1 $110.00
Pete the Cat Collection - 11 Book Set - Collection • AKJ Education $83.14 1 $83.14
5 Book Set: Kindness & Social Emotional Learning (ages 4-8 inclusive, teaching compassion books for classroom library) • DonorsChoose Featured Favorites $82.00 1 $82.00
Pigeon Collection - 6 Book Set - Collection • AKJ Education $78.80 1 $78.80
8 Book Set: Little SPOT of Emotion - Anger, Anxiety, Peaceful, Happiness, Sadness, Confidence, Love; calming corner, social emotional learning • DonorsChoose Featured Favorites $62.00 1 $62.00
Lakeshore Short Vowels Skill-Building Book Set for Beginning Readers, Phonics, and Science of Reading • Lakeshore Learning Materials $39.99 1 $39.99
Lakeshore Blends Skill-Building, Phonics-Based Book Set for Beginning Readers - Science of Reading • Lakeshore Learning Materials $39.99 1 $39.99
Lakeshore Digraphs Skill-Building Book Sets - Phonics for Beginning Readers, Science of Reading • Lakeshore Learning Materials $39.99 1 $39.99
Super Hero Board Books Ultimate Bundle Set Toddlers Kids -- 12 Shaped Board Books Featuring Batman, Superman, Spiderman and More • Amazon Business $22.99 1 $22.99
The ABCs of Inclusion: A Disability Inclusion Book for Kids • Amazon Business $16.35 1 $16.35
Mario Time! (Nintendo®) (Super Mario) • Amazon Business $12.99 1 $12.99
Since We're Friends: An Autism Picture Book • Amazon Business $12.95 1 $12.95
All Feelings Are Okay: A Kid's Book About Different Moods and Emotions; Helps Kids Identify and Accept Feelings; Autism; ADHD, ADD, SPD (Social ... Toolbox - Therapists, Educators, and Parents) • Amazon Business $12.91 1 $12.91
My Friend Has Autism but He Is No Different From Me • Amazon Business $12.68 1 $12.68
Disney Mickey Mouse "My First Books" -- Set of 4 Shaped Disney Mickey Mouse Board Books for Toddlers Kids • Amazon Business $11.99 1 $11.99
Sonic the Hedgehog - Sonic the Hedgehog 3 - Paperback Book • AKJ Education $11.67 1 $11.67
CVC Word Stories CVC Books for Beginning Readers: CVC Short Vowel Sounds Decodable Stories for Preschool and Kindergarten (Decodable Books Kindergarten) • Amazon Business $11.08 1 $11.08
Step into Reading Phonics Paw Patrol - Paw Patrol Phonics - Paperback Book • AKJ Education $10.94 1 $10.94
Super Mario: Bring on the Bad Guys! (Nintendo®) • Amazon Business $7.16 1 $7.16
Welcome to the World of Sonic (Sonic the Hedgehog) • Amazon Business $6.91 1 $6.91
Sonic and the Tales of Deception (Sonic the Hedgehog) • Amazon Business $6.50 1 $6.50
Meet Sonic!: A Sonic the Hedgehog Storybook • Amazon Business $6.50 1 $6.50
Meet My Friends! (And Enemies) (Sonic the Hedgehog) • Amazon Business $5.57 1 $5.57
Let's Back Up! Speeding Through My First Movie (Sonic the Hedgehog) • Amazon Business $5.57 1 $5.57
Paw Patrol - Pool Safety Pups - Paperback Book • AKJ Education $5.10 1 $5.10
Paw Patrol - The Pups Save the Bunnies - Paperback Book • AKJ Education $4.37 1 $4.37
Bluey - Camping - Paperback Book • AKJ Education $4.37 1 $4.37
Bluey - Daddy Putdown - Paperback Book • AKJ Education $4.37 1 $4.37
Bluey - The Pool - Paperback Book • AKJ Education $3.64 1 $3.64
Bluey - The Creek - Paperback Book • AKJ Education $3.64 1 $3.64
Bluey - The Beach - Paperback Book • AKJ Education $3.64 1 $3.64
Super Mario Little Golden Book (Nintendo®) • Amazon Business $3.33 1 $3.33

Materials cost

$876.59

Vendor shipping charges

 $6.00

Sales tax

 $0.00

3rd party payment processing fee

$13.15

Fulfillment labor & materials

$30.00

Total project cost

$925.74

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$163.37

Total project goal

$1,089.11

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 Mrs. Velez and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

See how DonorsChoose works
{"pmaHash":"","showProjectRecommendations":true,"leadGenEnabled":false,"hideTeacherDetails":false,"schoolState":"IL","teacherPossessivePronoun":"her","PMsManager":null,"schoolGradeType":{"id":1,"name":"Early Education"},"TeacherPMForms":{},"completingDonationAmount":1090,"teacherHasClassroomPhoto":true,"proposalURL":"https://www.donorschoose.org/project/growing-our-literacy-garden-in-kindergar/9298554/","mayHaveReplacements":false,"numStudents":20,"isEquityFocusV1":true,"teacherScreenName":"Mrs. Velez","isEquityFocus":true,"proposalHash":"1525353927","isApplePayMobileOnly":true,"progressBarPercentage":0.00,"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"photosPublished":false,"queryString":"","DonorPMForm":null,"shouldTrackEquityFocusV2":true,"schoolCity":"Chicago","teachersOnPage":[6770653],"isTeacherViewingTheirOwnProject":false,"minimizedLeadGenEnabled":false,"proposalId":9298554,"proposalMessageFormModel":null,"numActiveProjects":0,"verifyShowPhotos":"","eligibleToBeCopied":false,"schoolId":5582,"schoolName":"McAuliffe Elementary School","authorIds":{"6770653":{"owner":"Mrs. Velez","donationSalutations":{}}},"displayedPercentFunded":0.0,"proposalsOnPage":[9298554],"pmaId":"","teacherProfilePhotoURL":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp6770653_orig.jpg?crop=2731,2731,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1613947446952","teacherHasProfilePhoto":true,"currentWorkflowStatusCode":23,"teacherChallengeId":21478348,"isApplePayEnabled":true,"fundedByTarget":false,"activeProject":null,"donorIdsForImpactPhotoCheck":[],"teacherId":6770653,"schoolCounty":"Cook","fullyFunded":false,"isStudentLed":false,"isExpired":true,"schoolStateObj":{"code":"IL","name":"Illinois"}}