Just a few days after launching Clear Channel Communities, the media company has named DonorsChoose.org as its Q1 2012 non-profit partner. DonorsChoose.org is an award-winning non-profit dedicated to funding local teachers’ classroom projects.
“Tools for Classrooms,” a collaboration between Clear Channel Communities, DonorsChoose.org and Chase, the US consumer and commercial banking business of JPMorgan Chase & Co., is designed to bring attention to the lack of educational resources in classrooms across the country.
Each quarter, Clear Channel Communities will spotlight a leading national non-profit organization that is working to address critical issues and causes primarily in one of four focus areas: family and social impact; health and wellness; education and literacy; and music and arts.
The partnership with DonorsChoose.org reflects Clear Channel’s ongoing commitment to support local communities across the country, and builds on the company’s work with thousands of non-profits each year through national and local public service campaigns that resonate at the grassroots level. The collaboration with Chase contributes to Clear Channel Communities’ goal to conduct integrated cause marketing campaigns that engage listeners and allow them to make an impact in their local community.
The “Tools for Classrooms” effort is a three-month radio campaign that will air nationally on 850 radio stations and reach 238 million monthly U.S. listeners from January 18 through April 8, 2012. A series of more than 300,000 radio spots will feature celebrities and recording artists including Ryan Seacrest, Kelly Clarkson, Chris Daughtry, J.R. Martinez, Pitbull, LMFAO, Gym Class Heroes, Kris Allen and others to encourage listeners to contribute to DonorsChoose.org and learn more about how to address the lack of educational supplies in our nation’s public schools.
“I am really excited to partner with other great musicians in an effort to help teachers like my wife in communities all around the country,” said Kris Allen, platinum recording artist and 2009 American Idol winner. “I have supported DonorsChoose.org for years and I love that the “Tools for Classrooms” initiative uses the enormous power of Clear Channel’s reach to get their listeners involved and to help fund worthy classroom projects in their own neighborhoods.”
As part of the campaign, Chase is serving as a major corporate partner in matching donations made by listeners. Chase and other partners will match each donation up to $50, for a total commitment of $250,000.
Approximately 40% of classrooms across the US use DonorsChoose.org, an innovative online charity that makes it easy for anyone to help students in need. Public school teachers from every corner of America post specific requests to support their classroom projects, ranging from pencils for a poetry writing unit, to violins for a school recital, to microscope slides for a biology class. Visitors to the website decide which project they would like to support and DonorsChoose.org delivers materials to the school once a project reaches its funding goal. Contributors to DonorsChoose.org receive photos of their selected project taking place, a thank-you letter from the teacher, and a cost report showing how each dollar was spent. Those who donate $50 or more receive hand-written thank you letters from students.
“Our partnership with DonorsChoose.org and Chase enables us to tackle U.S. education by directly addressing the specific needs of classrooms and teachers in local communities across the nation,” said Jessica King, Director of Community Engagement for Clear Channel. “This program provides a perfect opportunity to activate Clear Channel’s broad reach, shared vision and local presence to benefit the neighborhoods our stations serve every day.”
“We are thrilled to team up with Clear Channel Communities and DonorsChoose.org to support this campaign, which is aligned with our larger philanthropic mission to invest in programs that focus on education,” said Kimberly B. Davis, President of the JPMorgan Chase Foundation.
“Clear Channel’s ability to reach millions of people in communities across the U.S. will help bring attention to the importance of a high-quality education, which every child deserves. We are especially proud that this unique collaboration represents the first major matching campaign of its kind for DonorsChoose.org.”
JPMorgan Chase has donated more than $180 million to educational programs since 2005, and has donated more than $500 million to nonprofit organizations in the last five years.
“Through our partnership with Clear Channel we will reach millions of people from communities all across the country and encourage them to help teachers who are dedicated to educating kids right in their neighborhood – local teachers, local kids,” said Charles Best, CEO of DonorsChoose.org. “Tens of thousands of students from every corner of America will receive essential educational materials, art supplies, sports equipment and more to improve their learning experience because of the generosity of companies like Clear Chanel and Chase.”
