🌿How to Support the Work

Families are never billed for services.

There are no hourly rates, intake fees, or required payments. Families are never asked to prove need, apply for assistance, or commit financially in order to receive help.

Support is offered first, without cost being a barrier.

Some families choose to contribute later when they are able. Many cannot. Both are okay.

This work is sustained through community support and donations, which allow access to remain open to every family who needs it.

Contributions support the day-to-day realities of working with neurodivergent learners. This includes learning materials and hands-on supplies, technology and access tools, transportation and gas, as well as the planning and support time needed to meet students where they are.

Giving is always optional. Choosing to donate does not affect who receives support or how students are treated.

If you choose to give, you may select a specific category, contribute to General Support, or support the work through the Amazon Wishlist (Amazon). Items on the wishlist are used directly with students in active learning environments.

For those who are interested, you’re welcome to follow along with what’s happening at The Authentic Educator on Substack. I share reflections and what I’m learning as it unfolds, always with care for student privacy. There’s no expectation—just a way to stay connected if you’re curious.

Every contribution, whether financial or tangible, helps keep the door open and the work going.
3% Cover the Fee

General Support allows funds to be used where the need is most immediate. This may include materials, food, transportation, technology, or planning time. This option is best for donors who want to support the work broadly without choosing a specific category.

Amazon wishlist

  • The Authentic Educator is a nonprofit organization registered in Washington State. We have applied for federal 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, which is currently pending with the Internal Revenue Service.

    At this time, donations are not guaranteed to be tax deductible. If our 501(c)(3) status is approved, donations made during the pending period may become tax deductible retroactively, as allowed by law. However, donors should consult a tax professional regarding their individual situation.

    We believe in being transparent so donors can make informed decisions.

  • Donations support the real, day-to-day work of The Authentic Educator.

    Funds are used to support neurodivergent students through learning materials and hands-on supplies, technology and access tools, transportation and gas, and the planning and support time required to meet students where they are.

    If you choose a specific donation category, your contribution is used for that category. If you give to General Support, funds are applied where the need is most immediate.

    Some supporters choose to give through the Amazon Wishlist (Amazon). Items from the wishlist are used directly with students in active learning environments.

    Donations do not affect who receives support or how students are treated. They simply help keep access open and the work sustainable.

  • Yes—The Authentic Educator is interested in working with volunteers who are aligned with this work and the way students are treated here.

    I am specifically interested in connecting with social workers, therapists, counselors, and school personnel who have experience supporting neurodivergent children and are comfortable with big behaviors and nervous system–based needs.

    Volunteers must be able to remain regulated during moments of escalation, honor student autonomy, and respond with compassion rather than control. All volunteers are expected to adhere to clear standards around dignity, consent, and relationship-based support. This is not a place for compliance-driven behavior management, punishment, or coercion.

    Depending on fit and availability, volunteer involvement may include supporting learning activities, outdoor or hands-on projects, preparing materials, or serving as an additional regulated adult presence. Roles are developed intentionally and with student trust and safety as the priority.

    If this sounds aligned, you’re welcome to reach out to learn more. Not every inquiry will move forward, and that selectivity is intentional.

  • Yes. The Authentic Educator accepts in-kind donations when they align with current student needs.

    The easiest way to give in-kind is through the Amazon Wishlist (Amazon), which reflects materials and supplies that are actively being used with students.

    If you have items you’d like to donate outside of the wishlist, you’re welcome to reach out first. Because this work is highly individualized and space is limited, not all items can be accepted, and we may decline items that don’t fit current needs.

    All accepted in-kind donations are used directly to support students.

  • es. Donations may be made in honor or in memory of someone meaningful to you.

    If you choose to dedicate a donation, I will respond personally to acknowledge it and share how the contribution is being used. These donations are received with care and intention and are treated as more than a transaction.

    Honor and memorial donations are used to support the work of The Authentic Educator and the students and families it serves.

Frequently Asked Questions