How moms on Instagram are banding together for teachers

Simplified: A local community of moms connected via Instagram has raised nearly $1,000 in two days after a call to support teachers.

Why it matters

• Kelsey Whitesel started the Sioux Falls Mom Connection group on Instagram last spring as a way to connect parents to both each other and local resources.
• Whitesel herself has a background in teaching, and she taught at both Axtell Park and George McGovern Middle School between 2012 and 2020. That spurred an idea to create a "Class Act" fundraiser to help out teachers who are spending hundreds of dollars each year out-of-pocket on classroom expenses.
• Within 24 hours of her first Instagram post, the Sioux Falls Mom community had raised more than $400. By Tuesday afternoon, they were close to $1,000, far exceeding Whitesel's initial goal of $250.

"Everybody's got a kid in school or daycare," she said. "I think people love to show up for one another when it's personal like this. I'm not surprised by this, but I'm blown away."

Tell me more

The initial idea for the fundraiser came when Whitesel thought to ask her instagram audience – several of whom are teachers – to share how much they spend out-of-pocket on their classrooms each year.

• Answers varied from $100 to $6,000, but on average teachers are spending about $250 at least on their classrooms.

What happens next?

Whitesel said she plans to keep the fundraiser open through Friday, and then when she has the final total, she'll decide the specifics of how to dole out the money.

• If you want to donate, you can do so via Venmo @SFMConnection. Or reach out to Whitesel at events@siouxfallsmom.blog.

While the exact number and amount of awards is still to be determined, Whitesel did note that she wants to encourage all teachers in the greater Sioux Falls area to stay tuned for giveaway details on Monday on the @siouxfallsmom instagram page.