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Jodi Haque, a Brooklyn public high school teacher, opened her door recently and found a delivery of more than 50 books, everything she would need for her special education classes for the coming school year — all donated by Canadians.
A few days earlier, Haque received an email saying a Canadian couple she'd never met had bought close to $500 US worth of reading material for her classroom. They found a wish list Haque posted on social media using the hashtag #CleartheList, a campaign to help teachers find donations of much-needed school supplies.
"I was honestly so, so blessed," said Haque, who helps students aged 14 to 16 with a wide range of learning disabilities. The moment, however, was bittersweet as she reflected on the need to rely on the generosity of strangers to provide for her students.
"It's sad that strangers are helping out more than the people that are elected to help us," Haque said.
A sixth-year teacher, she estimates she spends $500 to $700 a year of her own money purchasing everything from bookshelves, pencils and paper to cleaning items like hand sanitizer, tissues and paper towels. Her school provides $250 for supplies, though that number can vary.
"It frustrates me to no end knowing that my kids who need the most are constantly lacking the basic materials in order to be successful," Haque said.
