Every year the Florida Holocaust Museum provides schools all over the country with "Teaching Trunks." This free service provides classes with grade appropriate literature and curriculum materials. These teaching tools combat the concepts of hate and intolerance while engaging students in conversations about world history. Last year alone the museum's trunks traveled to 17 states, reaching nearly 50,000 students.
These trunks breed empathy and hope. Items in the trunk touch on everything from basic respect and understanding to in-depth studies about the Holocaust. A few trunks specifically deal with human rights and genocide as well as teachings of the Holocaust through art.
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*Video by Florida Holocaust Museum
The museum makes an incredible effort to provide these teaching tools to schools free of charge. The increase in shipping costs have made the practice a loftier endeavor.
To expand the reach of the program and enable the education of students and teachers, the museum has launched an IndieGoGo campaign. Actress/comedienne/model/entrepreneur and Holocaust Museum supporter Rhonda Shear had this to say, "Teaching the value and dignity of every human life from a young age is so important." Shear continues, "Tolerance and understanding has come a long way but if history has taught us anything at all, it's that hate, discrimination and even genocide is still a worldwide issue." Shear also lent her voiceover talents to the #TrunksOfHope campaign video.
*Photo by Florida Holocaust Museum
"If we want to grow the program, we need to raise $7,500 for the 2014-15 school year," says Elizabeth Gelman, Executive Director Of The Museum. One round-trip Teaching Trunk journey costs about $300.
There are rewards offered at each donation level, from $10 to $1,000 and more if you're feeling especially philanthropic. Rewards range from having your name listed on the donor list on the website, "Erase The Hate" wristbands from Holocaust survivor Phil Gans, a personalized "Thank You" message from the museum and/or your name displayed on the Teaching Trunks donor poster.
*Photo by Florida Holocaust Museum
While the museum is within driving distance for most Tampa Bay educators, many communities do not have a Holocaust museum within a reasonable distance. Small donations will help to continue and expand this worthwhile and culturally significant program.
In case you're curious about where the trunks travel, you can follow their respective journeys across the country on social media. The museum has asked educators to share photos, videos and other observations about their Trunk experience on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with the #TrunksOfHope.
We cannot express enough the beauty and importance of this program. All donations are appreciated and go toward not only making the residents of St. Pete more compassionate and educated human beings, but its power is meant to infect and inform cities and schools beyond our town and state lines. Donate today.
*Photo by Florida Holocaust Museum
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