Nine-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow recently returned to her hometown of Kennett, Missouri, to surprise the teachers at her alma mater, Kennett High School, with a $21,600 donation for classroom supplies.
During an all school assembly that was featured on The TODAY Show’s “Show Heart Today” series on Feb. 8, Crow announced that she was “adopting” all of the school’s teachers through Adopt-A-Classroom with a $600 donation each. Farmers Insurance provided the financial backing as part of its Thank America’s Teacher program, which has donated more than $2 million to teachers across the country since 2014.
“I know first-hand how much hard work goes into being a teacher, but I also know how big of an impact teachers have on the lives and futures of their students,” said Crow, a former teacher in St. Louis, Missouri. “Thanks to AdoptAClassroom.org and the financial support of Farmers Insurance, we were able to make a meaningful difference for the amazing teachers at Kennett High School while also showing viewers of The TODAY Show just how easy it can be to do the same for teachers in their own communities.”
Representatives from AdoptAClassroom.org and Farmers Insurance joined Crow and Jenna Bush Hager, a correspondent for The TODAY Show and a former teacher, to present each teacher with an AdoptAClassroom.org gift card for $600, which is equal to the amount that, on average, teachers spend out of their own pockets each year to ensure they have the materials needed to teach their students. AdoptAClassroom.org is a national nonprofit that offers individual donors the ability to search, select and “adopt” an individual teacher, or donate to a general fund that supports teachers from higher-need schools.
“Most people are shocked to hear teachers spend so much of their own money each year to equip their classrooms and students,” said Bob Thacker, executive vice president with AdoptAClassroom.org. “Thanks to the commitment of people like Sheryl, and the generosity of our corporate partners like Farmers Insurance, we adopted every teacher at Kennett High School. Our hope is to help all teachers throughout the country who still lack the resources for their students to learn and succeed.”
Farmers Insurance has a long history of supporting education and partners with AdoptAClassroom.org to facilitate donations to teachers from its Thank America’s Teachers program, which launched in 2014 to rally the country to show its gratitude for America’s educators who make a difference in their classrooms, schools and communities.
“We were thrilled to join Sheryl and AdoptAClassroom.org in recognizing the tremendous work of all the teachers and faculty at Kennett High School,” said Kelly LaMar, managing lead of Thank America’s Teachers for Farmers Insurance. “Any of us can think of a teacher who made a difference in our lives, but today we’re able to make a difference in the lives of 36 special teachers and inspire everyone who watched at home to do the same for teachers across the country.”
To make a donation to AdoptAClassroom.org or find classrooms to adopt in your community, click AdoptAClassroom. Individuals are also invited to visit www.ThankAmericasTeachers.com to share their thank yous and to vote for their favorite teacher proposals throughout the year.
