Teachers are looking for help with their classroom costs ahead of a new school year.
A nonprofit is working to bridge the funding gap for public school teachers this school year. Many teachers often spend hundreds of dollars of their own money on essential classroom supplies.
Robbinsdale, Minnesota's Lakeview Elementary Physical Education teacher Monte Brown knows this firsthand.
"Some of my needs are like trying to get a contract to get rollerblading inside the classroom, or getting a climbing wall," Brown said.
But, he adds that the AdoptAClassroom program has given him some much-needed relief, connecting him with donors who pay for supplies.
It's a resource many teachers are hesitant to ask for.
"I think a lot of times teachers are nervous to ask for help because in this profession, we're on an island, so we pretty much do things on our own," Brown adds.
On average, teachers spent nearly $900 a year on classroom supplies nationwide, according to AdoptAClassroom, and that's a number that Brown hopes could drop with more funding.
Learn more about donating to AdoptAClassroom here.