Instacart to crowdsource donations for Los Angeles County public schools affected by wildfires

Instacart has launched a Classroom Carts initiative to support 28 Los Angeles County public and charter elementary, middle and high schools and nearly 15,000 students impacted by the recent wildfires.

Built on Instacart’s Community Carts tool, Classroom Carts allows people nationwide to support students and teachers by donating essential supplies directly to impacted schools through the Instacart App as the Los Angeles community works to rebuild in the wake of one of the most significant natural disasters in California history, according to a news release.

Instacart says it partnered with California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, the Los Angeles County Office of Education, the Pasadena Unified School District and the Los Angeles Unified School District to identify schools in need. Instacart’s board of directors is kicking off the Classroom Carts initiative by donating a total of $1 million to the Greater Los Angeles Education Foundation, the Pasadena Education Foundation and the LAUSD Foundation to supplement the Instacart community’s contributions to the 28 participating schools, the release said. Company advisers and outside firms like Cooley and Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen and Katz have also joined in to contribute additional funds to the foundations.

“The recent wildfires have had a devastating impact on the Los Angeles community, with schools being some of the hardest-hit institutions. Teachers and administrators are working around the clock to restore a sense of normalcy, but they can’t do it alone,” said Fidji Simo, CEO and board chair of Instacart and a Los Angeles resident. “With Classroom Carts, we’re giving people across the country a simple and meaningful way to step in and directly contribute the items schools have said they need. Through this initiative, we can help ensure that students and teachers across L.A. have access to essential supplies, allowing them to reconnect and engage in the classroom.”

"Our school communities in Southern California need our unwavering support as they face the impact of these devastating wildfires," Thurmond said. "Time and again, our education community has shown remarkable resilience and generosity in the face of crisis. I’m grateful for generous partners like Instacart as we stand together to support our students, families, and educators as they recover and rebuild.”

The wildfires caused extensive damage, destroying classrooms, libraries and other vital school resources, meaning many schools now face critical shortages of essential supplies like notebooks, pencils, rulers, art supplies and more, the release said. Classroom Carts allows anyone across the country to offer support by opening the Instacart app and selecting the Classroom Carts banner or visiting www.instacart.com/donate. Customers can then select from the 28 participating schools and shop for as many items as they choose from a curated list of items based on each school’s specific needs. Instacart partners with a variety of retailers in the Los Angeles area that carry school and office supplies, home goods, technology and more. A local shopper will shop and deliver donated items and Instacart will consolidate donated items for delivery to each school. The company says it is waiving all delivery and service fees on every Classroom Carts order.

Instacart says its initial LA Fire Relief Community Carts campaign has provided more than 50,000 essential items to 17 local YMCAs and community food banks across the region.

“The wildfires have deeply impacted our schools, disrupting the lives of thousands of students and educators. Classroom Carts will help provide critical support by helping schools restock the supplies they need to sustain teaching and learning,” said Debra Duardo, superintendent of schools for the Los Angeles County Office of Education. “Instacart’s commitment to partnering with our community is an important example of how collaboration can strengthen our collective recovery efforts. By working together, we can ensure that students and teachers have the resources to rebuild and continue the school year without further interruption.”