Previously published by TriplePundit
By Abha Malpani Naismith
Teachers in the United States are spending more of their own money than ever before to meet an overwhelming need for even basic school supplies like paper and pencils. They spent an average of $860 on classroom supplies in the 2022-2023 school year, a 44 percent increase since 2015, according to AdoptAClassroom.org surveys. That’s largely because funding for classroom supply budgets have not kept up to meet students’ needs.
Over the past four years, Subaru of America has partnered with AdoptAClassroom.org to help reduce this financial burden. Donors and corporate sponsors can “adopt” a specific classroom by donating on the fundraising platform. Teachers use the money for supplies, designing and developing the classroom environment, and incorporating modern educational technologies and materials for new teaching methods.
The Subaru journey into educational support began with a shared vision. “It started with a simple introduction to AdoptAClassroom.org, which turned into a powerful collaboration under our Subaru Loves Learning initiative,” said Lauren Papasidero, Love Promise Community Commitment Specialist at Subaru of America. “Our goal was clear from the beginning — we wanted to ensure that every student had the necessary tools for success, irrespective of their economic background. As of this year, we will have helped over 750,000 students nationwide.”
Subaru of America is headquartered in Camden, New Jersey, and over the past four years the company has adopted every grade school and every high school in the city’s public school district.. “Through our partnership, we have helped set up their classrooms, we provided a graphic arts lab to one high school, and we assist them with any task they need,” Papasidero said. “We also ask Subaru of America colleagues to spend a day volunteering and supporting teachers at schools throughout the entire Camden City School District.”
Before partnering with AdoptAClassroom.org, Subaru was working hard to align the national scope of its educational support program with local impact needs. It’s crucial that the company’s more than 630 automotive retailers can support high-needs schools within their local communities. The solution was coordinating with AdoptAClassroom.org to match each retailer with a nearby school in need, while navigating complexities such as pre-existing relationships with non-eligible schools. Subaru then encouraged retailers to consistently partner with the same schools to foster long-term relationships and maximize impact.
“This year, we have 78 percent of our retailers partnering with the same school for the fourth consecutive year,” Papasidero said. “While it was a hurdle in the beginning — how can we execute locally when we’re national? — I’m proud to say we have overcome that challenge and now have relationships in every local community. AdoptAClassroom.org helped us foster these relationships and grow them, and our retailers have really taken it and run with it.”
Reflecting on the broader impact highlights the effectiveness of the partnership, but also illustrates the deep-seated needs that persist in educational institutions across the country. “Ninety-two percent of teachers reported that our contributions significantly increased access to essential educational materials,” Papasidero said.
The flexible funding that Subaru provides offers teachers the opportunity to get what they need most for their classrooms. And on top of that, Subaru retailers are always encouraged to go above and beyond in their efforts to make a difference.
“One of our retailers learned that many students go home without access to electricity, so they were unable to charge their devices,” Papasidero said. “The students would come in the morning with little to no battery on their devices, so they weren’t able to participate in their educational activities. When we contacted AdoptAClassroom.org, we learned that the school was interested in purchasing charging carts, but had budget restrictions. So, team Subaru stepped up and, through AdoptAClassroom.org, donated over 35 charging carts to this school, providing every student in the classroom access to electricity.”
Creating an internship program for local special education graduates is another example of a Subaru retailer thinking outside the box. “They learn real-world business skills and how to work in a professional setting, but in a nurturing environment,” Papasidero said. “And what’s more, last year’s intern was hired on full-time after their internship.”
The synergy between Subaru and AdoptAClassroom.org is a testament to the power of collaborative philanthropy. As companies like Subaru step up to address societal challenges, their actions set a precedent for how corporate entities can make a difference.
