Zoot Educational Furniture: How Donating Helps
Zoot Educational Furniture is an organization working to repurpose used furniture like classroom tables and chairs. The organization collects desks, chairs, storage space, shelves and books to redistribute in underprivileged communities for students of all ages.
Repurposing old school furniture benefits numerous parties. For one, it provides children with better conditions and structured environments for learning. Donating furniture also saves time, taxes, labor and transport costs. It minimizes landfill and air pollution by recycling and reusing old materials.
Zoot explains the significant advantages of donating old furniture here. One scenario led to:
1. The diversion of nearly 14 tons of school furniture on its way to landfill
2. The prevention of 5,600-8,200 cubic meters of methane gases being released into the atmosphere
3. A net Green House Gas saving of 25 tons of carbon dioxide
4. Over $5,000 savings on landfill taxes, labor and transport as well as valuable school time
5. A reputation enhancement for the school, as well as new connections with three schools in Jamaica
6. Improved learning environments and conditions for children in Jamaica
7. Improved educational resources for teachers and school staff
Charities: Education Starts at School
When it comes to getting kids involved in charitable works, there is a lot that charities can do to encourage them. Unfortunately however, a recent report documented in The Guardian found that many youngsters these days are not finding their place in the world of volunteer opportunities. This is a real shame since it is the current generation that actually has a lot to give. Charities are thus significantly missing out on this demographic.
There are some charities trying to counteract this. For example, the Jewish Lads’ & Girls’ Brigade (JlGB) has developed a wide range of national award schemes in an attempt to bring in young volunteers (the main one being the ever-popular Duke of Edinburgh Award). Indeed, a staggering half of young Jewish kids in faith schools are now taking part in this award. Nonetheless, even with this result, the report found that 65 percent of individuals “indicated that they required extra support in finding a suitable volunteering placement.” So work needs to be done to change that.
The truth is, at the end of the day, those who play a key role in the education of our youth should realize that one learns so much more than by simply sitting behind a textbook at a school desk. Learning how to be a moral, upstanding citizen; to be kind to others, to realize that the world exists beyond one’s small enclave is an awareness that should be taught in schools. Thus by providing volunteer opportunities to the children, the school is fulfilling its obligations of turning out moral, well-developed kids.
Still, one has to face reality as well. Unfortunately there are problems with school kids volunteering. First, insurance does not cover the under-16s potential volunteers. Second, in many volunteer opportunities, it would simply take too many resources to train the youth well enough for them to actually be able to offer effective help. But it nonetheless seems the benefits outweigh the problems and thus there should be some way to get around these issues.
It has to thus be up to the parents and guardians who believe volunteer opportunities are essential for the overall development of their children to push charitable work for their kids at school. Further, if enough parents get together and let the school know how important this issue is for them, the school might just sit up and take some interest and actually make this happen.
Furniture Charities to Improve Education
Charities all over the world invest millions of dollars to support education in impoverished communities. Organizations focus on all aspects of education, including school buildings, school books and materials, and even teaching staff.
Another factor that can significantly influence learning is classroom furniture. The Furniture for Education Worldwide foundation is a national charity based in London which aims to send all extra furniture, including classroom chairs and tables, to deprived countries across the globe.
These furniture contributions have many advantages. Thousands of children are able to sit at desks instead of on pillows or concrete floors, providing them with more structured environments and the ability to focus on their studies in much better conditions.
Charities like these are also contributing to the environment by recycling and re-using old materials instead of sending them to landfills and polluting the atmosphere.