So like I told you in the Week 4 Update post, HP decided to chip in big-time in this year's DonorsChoose Social Media Challenge. They wound up giving even more than their original pledge of $200,000, I believe in the neighborhood of $250,000. Yeah, a nice chunk of change. A whole ocean's worth of clams. More dough than a Wonderbread factory. You get the idea.

And our share of that HP money, based on our own donations, came to (drum roll!!!), $1,821. That money has been added to our Giving Page's total, which is one reason that total is so very awe-inducing. The other reason, being, of course that YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME.

But the HP money hasn't actually been distributed to the projects yet. That's where you come in. At some point, people who donated to our Giving Page will receive electronic DonorsChoose gift cards in their email. The cards can be used on ANY project at DonorsChoose.org. (I'm not positive if everyone who donated at any point in the month will get a gift card, or only people who donated before HP's cutoff of Sunday October 25. I'll try to find out.) 

Those gift cards might not land in your inboxes until after the Social Media Challenge ends, which happens this Saturday, Oct 31, at midnight. But if anyone would like to donate to a project on our Giving Page before the Challenge is over, and then you forward me your receipt (again, by Saturday at midnight West Coast Time), you'll be entered in the Week 5 drawing for a Brenthaven messenger bag -- all the details of that are in the regular Week 5 post. 

I am so incredibly proud of our total so far. And grateful to everyone who's been so generous. And humbled by the profound effect our donations will have on the students and teachers who benefit from them. DonorsChoose simply rocks.

Oh, one more thing: If you need a little inspiration, or just a smile and a boost, head to our Giving Page and scroll down to the projects that have been fully funded. Click on one or five, and read the thank-you letters posted by the teachers. They are so heartfelt and heart-warming -- I think you might enjoy. I know I did. 

Thank you to all.