Herb Kohl Philanthropies again funds Wisconsin teachers’ projects

Milwaukee Business Journal
By Rich Kirchen, Senior Report, Milwaukee Business Journal

 

Milwaukee businessman and philanthropist Herb Kohl on Monday disclosed another sizable gift to Wisconsin teachers to fund projects and educational programs in their classrooms — and announced a matching-grant offer to support social-emotional learning projects.

Kohl posted a “You just got funded” message to 578 teachers in 359 schools impacting 51,379 students, Herb Kohl Philanthropies of Milwaukee said Monday. The foundation paid a total of $425,000 across the state via flash-funding Wisconsin teachers’ projects on the site DonorsChoose.org.

The timing was in honor of National Teacher Appreciation Week May 7 through May 11.

“What teachers do every day for students inspires me to provide this support,” Kohl said in a press release. “These classroom projects are just another example of how teachers go the extra mile to provide for their students.”

Kohl said the materials cost money and that teachers all-too-often cover those costs.

The matching grants for social-emotional learning projects will become available on Tuesday.

The grants will go to classroom supplies and educational materials for teachers requesting resources that help students become “happy and connected members of their communities,” the foundation said.

For every dollar of support for these projects, Herb Kohl Philanthropies will match them 2-to-1. The foundation will provide up to $75,000 in that effort.

This marks the third year that Kohl’s foundation is funding Wisconsin teachers’ DonorsChoose.org requests.

Kohl is a former Democratic U.S. Senator from Wisconsin and former owner of the Milwaukee Bucks.