NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS 2024-2025

Blog

What's up at Bluestem?

No-Fuss No-Muss Ways to Help Bluestem Launch

Hey guys. Let’s have a heart-to-heart.  I know you’re busy.  I know you would like to help Bluestem get off the ground, but there never seems to be the time.  I know because I have been that person (I AM that person) with so many worthy causes.  I wish I could help everyone, but I can’t, because I have finite resources and finite energy.  So I’m here to tell you that it’s OK.  You can be busy and still make a difference to this start-up nonprofit.  You can be broke and still make a difference to this start-up nonprofit.  I’m going to give you 5 easy peasy ways to help out, and two super-obvious bonus ways that you already know.  Email me at laura@bluestemmontessori.com with any questions, or contact us here.

OK, let’s get the super-obvious bonus ones out of the way first. You all know what they are already, but it just has to be said. 

  1. DONATE.  This is the absolute easiest thing to do, time-wise.  Your donation doesn’t have to be huge (although let’s be honest, we would love a huge donation).  Even a small donation makes a huge difference to a start up like us - really!  It would especially be helpful if you donated as part of Give To Lincoln Day, between May 1 and May 18.  On this great day (or rather, 18 days), the Lincoln Community Foundation matches all donations made to nonprofits through their program.  So your $10 donation helps us even more!  Links and lots of info will be coming as the day approaches.  If you would rather buy something to support us, you can visit our swag store - we have designed some neat-o stuff for you.  
  2. VOLUNTEER.  If you have the time, this is a free way to make a huge difference.  There is so much to do.  And so many of you have stepped up to the plate already (Thank you!!!!!!!!)  We can use pretty much any skills you have, and pretty much any amount of time you have to give.  If you want to just sit and cut laminated sheets out while you watch reruns of Malcolm in the Middle, we can hook you up. 

Now let's move on to the no-fuss no-muss stuff I promised.  

EASY PEASY FREE WAY TO HELP #1

Spread the word.  Tell your friends, your neighbors, your cousins.  If you know a child who would benefit from Montessori education, let them know that they have that option!

EASY PEASY FREE WAY TO HELP #2

Clip those boxtops for education!  We get $.10 for each one, which doesn’t sound like a lot, but it can add up (especially if you eat granola bars the way my family does).

EASY PEASY FREE WAY TO HELP #3

Donate your empty ink cartridges to our drop boxes at any Cultiva location.  Again, we don’t get a lot per ink cartridge we recycle, but this can add up!  We can take inkjet and toner cartridges.  Bonus: you’ll keep those plastic cartridges out of the landfill!  Look at you go - helping to found a school AND recycling at the same time.  You're awesome. 

EASY PEASY FREE WAY TO HELP #4

Donate your old stuff to our June rummage sale.  You get to declutter, we get to make some start-up capital.  This is really a win-win.  Plus then you can re-clutter on June 15-17 when you come buy other people’s stuff at our rummage sale - because think of all the space you’ll have after donating YOUR stuff!  Contact us to arrange pick-up or drop-off of your stuff.  

EASY PEASY FREE WAY TO HELP #5

Donate classroom materials!  As you are decluttering, you might find that you have 27 boxes of printer paper taking up space in your garage.  You might find unopened pipe cleaners that you got for a craft with your kids but then forgot about.  You might find books your now-high schoolers have outgrown.  We’ll take any of that!  We can also use any trays and wooden boxes - the ones that Melissa and Doug crafts and stamps come in work amazingly well to display classroom materials on shelves.  Basically, if you can imagine a use for it in a school, we probably can too.  And if we can’t, you can tell us the use you imagined, and we’ll probably say “hey, good idea, thanks!” Again, contact us to arrange this.  

And FINALLY, watch here for more easy ways to help us out.  We will have a dine-out night before the school year is over, and soon we will have an AmazonSmile account (so anything you buy from Amazon can help support Bluestem!) 

See?  It's not as daunting as it seems to help start a school.  Thanks for your help in bringing Montessori elementary to Lincoln.

Until next time,

Laura