Billionaire donor funds classroom projects in Hawaii
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Student artwork thanking donors are posted in the offices of DonorsChoose.org, a philanthropy web site, Wednesday in New York.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff is seen in this Nov. 17, 2010 photo.
The high-tech billionaire founder of Salesforce.com has funded all Hawaii classroom projects posted on the website DonorsChoose.org.
It’s part of #BestSchoolDay, a coordinated effort by 58 celebrity philanthropists to “flash fund” projects in a specific city, region or state on the DonorsChoose.org website as of midnight Wednesday.
Marc Benioff, the chairman and CEO of the cloud-computing company Salesforce, who has an estate on the Big Island and spends about a third of his time in Hawaii, pledged to fund all projects in the state.
“Hawaii is a very special place for me, and I carry the aloha spirit with me wherever I am. The students of Hawaii deserve the very best education, which is why I’m funding all of the classroom projects in Hawaii―not only to raise up the students but to raise up the entire community. Education is critical to making the world a better place and training the workforce of tomorrow,” Benioff said in a news release.
It’s not immediately clear exactly how many Hawaii classroom projects Benioff funded or how much money he is giving. But a list of projects posted by the charity shows funding was completed for 182 classrooms in Hawaii on Wednesday.
The projects include a visit to DolphinQuest for hands on environmental science learning for $475.93 for Mrs. Pine’s classroom at Kealakehe Elementary School in Kailua-Kona, $399.20 for Mrs. Ikeler’s class at Waikiki Elementary School to grow a Kinder “garden,” and “Cooling our Classroom” for $782.53 for Mrs. Noury’s class at August Ahrens Elementary School in Waipahu.
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Nationwide, the donors, who also include Gwyneth Paltrow, Samuel L. Jackson and Serena Williams, pledged $14.2 million to fund nearly 12,000 projects in 47 states and Washington, D.C.
It is the latest effort underscoring the use of online philanthropy to bridge the gap between what school budgets provide and what teachers say they need. Educators, many of whom report spending an average of $500 from their own pockets to equip students, have secured millions of dollars for books and supplies by floating requests in cyberspace instead of before the school board.
Also this week, the crowdfunding site GoFundMe.com announced a new concentration on education fundraising, beginning with a contest that will award a needy public school with 100 computers. Like DonorsChoose.org, the site lets a teacher or school post a funding request for a specific item and then watch as donors contribute a few dollars at a time.
In the last year, GoFundMe.com took in $60 million for education campaigns from 777,000 donations, the company said.
The celebrity givers in today’s campaign hope to inspire others to pitch in and get all the pending projects funded. Google co-founder Sergey Brin and WhatsApp co-founder Brian Acton will match $3.2 million in citizen donations.
The benefactors include other actors (Ashton Kutcher, Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick), athletes (Carmelo Anthony, Torrey Smith, Larry Fitzgerald, Dwight Howard), and business and foundation leaders (Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen; Bill and Melinda Gates; the chief executives of Zappos, LinkedIn and Yelp; Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg).
The idea was inspired by Stephen Colbert, “The Late Show” host and a DonorsChoose.org board member, who surprised teachers in his home state of South Carolina by funding all the classroom projects in one day in May.
That led Twitter co-founder Biz Stone and his wife, Livia, to approach the website about doing the same for public schools in Boston and Contra Costa County, Calif., and to enlist fellow Twitter co-founders Ev Williams and Jack Dorsey to commit to fund wish lists in Nevada, San Francisco and Missouri.
That gave DonorsChoose.org Chief Executive Charles Best an idea.
“At that point, I said, all right, let’s keep this secret and let’s see if some more people would want to join you and then we’ll unleash all of these flash fundings in one unforgettable moment,” Best said. “And it grew from there.”
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Star-Advertiser reporter Craig Gima contributed to this story.
29 responses to “Billionaire donor funds classroom projects in Hawaii”
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What a classy gesture and an extraordinary example of the aloha spirit by Marc Benioff. Mahalo from the keiki of Hawaii Nei!
Awesome gesture on his part!
sure would be nice if he could fund the air conditioning for the classrooms too – but we must be appreciative of any donation – sounds like a nice guy and a nice gesture for sure.
Ask for donations for the air-conditioning, just like Goodwill did, to fund their Ohana Learning Center in Kapolei. Does not have to all be from one person. Sounds like a job for SuperMan, David Ige.
Good for Mr. Benioff. Funding goes directly to classrooms and teachers. Your philanthropy is appreciated.
Thank you! 🙂
That is really an aloha gesture–many thanks. So many of the billionaires and I can name a few—give their money to girls schools in Africa, malaria in the Congo, etc. While wonderful things to do but we have so many needs in America where these people made their money–it’s great to give it back.
I agree this is a very generous gesture, but why do people refer to this as “giving back”? -Did he take something from the people or organizations that he is donating to? What is he giving back exactly? His business created jobs for thousands of people, and for that he became very wealthy. I don’t think he “took anything” from anyone that he needs to “give back” -it’s a pet peeve of mine and lots of other people too. It’s called charity, not “giving back” -that always implied replacement of something that was taken from the recipient.
Giving back some of his profits which may have come from sales from the people to which he is donating.
These people “give back” because, but for the opportunities that this country provides, they would likely not have been able to realize their good fortunes. They are aware that they are quite fortunate, and that the opportunities that they had in concert with their own hard work and fortitude provided them with what they now have. “Giving back” does not necessarily mean that they rode on the backs of anyone else or that they were recipients of handouts and are now paying back any obligation. They are merely thankful for what life has provided.
In the case of Mr. Benioff, his business was built entirely around the internet – a system developed, financed and built largely by the United States tax payer. Using some of his money for the public good is a fine idea.
That was uncalled for.
Thank you Mr Benioff, are Keiki thank you also.
Thank you!
Thank you Stephen Colbert.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lojb-a5VZK0
Congratulations!! That’s awesome!!
Seems to let a lot of useless politicians off the hook. Though no doubt they’ll be jostling each other to have their pics taken with Mr. B.
If only more of the fortunate would remember and unselfishly give to those less fortunate.
Please fund the A/Cs for schools which are going to cost us a fortune.
Trickle Down economy can manifest in some real feel good moments. I wish our government could figure out how to do a better job of how it trickles.
Thank you, Mr. Benioff.
Remember these are the people that Clinton and Sanders think are so terrible that up to 95% of their earnings should be taken away.
Of course you’re lying. But that’s what you do.
What Bernie Sanders meant is that so many billionaires don’t pay taxes, that they hide all their profits in the Cayman Islands. He never stated that they needed to pay 95% income tax. At the same time, Kansas is cutting back more and more funds on education so the rich people can pay even less taxes. They just want them all for themselves. If you care so much for education, why don’t you contribute? Sounds like you are rich enough.
Didn’t see Donald Trumfs name anywhere. Oh yeah, he’s saving for Pink Floyds, ” THE WALL”.
Having a difficult time understanding why some commenters are trying to make this a political issue. I guess they can’t think of anything else. The people who funded donors choose came from all over the social spectrum.
There was a segment on the Colbert show last night that got many of the donors on stage. In one day, over 11,000 projects nationwide were funded and the total was around $14,000,000. This is participatory democracy at its best, paying forward to the next generation.
Mahalo, Aloha and God bless!
Projects in “47” States? What State was left out since Hawaii and Alaska are considered States? Look at all the price discrimination in shipping charges.
Mahalo nui Mr. Benioff for investing in Hawaii and our keiki! Be blessed as you are a blessing!