Texas blogger organizes effort to clear teachers' Amazon wish lists
DALLAS - A Texas blogger is using her platform for good. She’s helping teachers across the country get what they need for their classrooms without spending their own money.
The Houston-based blogger told FOX 4 she’s a private person and wants to remain anonymous. But she said she’s blown away by the generosity of strangers and major companies.
Her more than 430,000 Instagram followers know her as Tibal, the voice behind "Things I Bought and Liked." Her content is exactly what it sounds like.
"I’ve been following her account for a very long time, probably as long as she’s been doing it," said Marcy Buti, a dyslexia interventionist for Irving ISD.
On Giving Tuesday, instead of posting her latest finds, Tibal asked teachers in underserved communities to share what they needed.
Buti said she shared her Amazon wish list and packages started showing up at her front door the next morning.
"So, I actually went and looked at my Amazon list and everything that I had put on there was purchased and I was so surprised and excited," she said. "One of the biggest things that I put on there was headphones because my students have dyslexia. They have difficulty reading passages. Now my kids will be able to listen to audiobooks and they all have speech to text on their computers, so they’ll have access to that."
Tibal normally does not allow sponsors or ads on her account, but she made an exception and began asking companies to chip in in exchange for a shout-out on her page.
"All of those companies that have messaged her, I have liked and gone and followed," Buti said.
Brands small and large answered the call – HEB, Lowes, Whole Foods, Neutrogena, Spanx and more. Many cleared entire lists or offered gift cards and products.
"Companies that support teachers are companies that I want to support as well. So, I’m going to make sure that you know I send them my business when I can too," Buti said.
The Irving teacher said she brought her boxes to school and opened them with her students.
"I think that it’s important for them to see that there are people out there that really are championing for their success and wanting them to have what they need in order to be successful," she said.
Tibal said at least 150 teachers’ wish lists have been cleared so far. Individual donors and companies have given more than $760,000.
LINK: www.thingsiboughtandliked.com/holiday-teacher-wishlists/
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