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This teacher needs your help!

Coach Madi from El Cajon CA is requesting reading nooks, desks & storage through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Coach Madi is requesting

Lunch on the Spectrum: Flexible Seating for Social Skills

Help me give my students with Autism a table lower to the ground so they can practice their social skills and meet their sensory needs at the same time.

  • 1 donor
  • $308 still needed

expires Aug 17

  • 1 donor
  • $308 still needed
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My Project

Like many others on the Autism spectrum, the students who are invited to our weekly Lunch Bunch have difficulty with a variety of social skills, including conversation, self-control, compassion and empathy. Our Lunch Bunch provides a space for students to play games, eat lunch, and practice interacting with peers in a safe environment–but our current problem is that we only have one large table to accommodate all our students with varying needs and interests.

More flexible seating options will allow our students to create more naturalistic peer groups, meet their sensory needs, and engage more fully in activities.

A second, smaller table will create a space for students who want a quieter environment to draw or eat lunch while other students play a board game. For students who have been required to sit at desks all day, floor seats can also provide a new sensory experience that many Autistic students need to feel regulated and calm. Being able to provide more choices for what students can do during our Lunch Bunch promotes independence and encourages them to initiate with peers.

For our teenage students, making friends is a complex skill that requires the right combination of a variety of factors, but one of the most important factors is the environment. Our goal for Lunch Bunch is to create the type of environment where students can learn about each other's differences and learn to truly engage with each other, and having a second table & seats will make this possible.

Coach Madi
Never Before Funded Grades 9-12
  • Valhalla High School
  • El Cajon, CA
    • More than half of students from low‑income households

    This project will reach 30 students.

    1 donor has given to this project.

    Never Before Funded

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

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TEACHERS, FEELING INSPIRED?

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Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
Yardbird - Langdon/Waverly Coffee Table - Dark Brown • Best Buy Education $200.00 1 $200.00
Meditation Floor Pillow Set of 2, Square Large Pillows Seating for Adults, Tufted Corduroy Floor Cushion for Tatami Living Room, Grey, 22x22 Inch • Amazon Business $40.04 1 $40.04

Materials cost

$240.04

Vendor shipping charges

 FREE

Sales tax

 $21.96

3rd party payment processing fee

$3.60

Fulfillment labor & materials

$30.00

Total project cost

$295.60

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$52.16

Total project goal

$347.76

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

 $347.76

1 Donor

-$40.00

Donations toward project cost

-$34.00

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$6.00

Still needed View calculationHide calculation

 $307.76

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

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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 Coach Madi and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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