HOPE IN A BOX INC

Research shows that LGBTQ kids are healthier, happier, and safer when their schools include LGBTQ history and literature in their classrooms. Students skip class less often, earn higher GPAs, and are far less likely to be depressed or bullied. Unfortunately, most schools-especially rural ones-rarely include LGBTQ themes in school libraries or curricula. Rural teachers say the biggest barriers to LGBT inclusion is lack of knowledge of which resources to use and how to do so tactfully.

Hope in a Box helps teachers create more welcoming and inclusive classrooms for LGBTQ students. We donate "Hope in a Box": expert-curated literature featuring LGBTQ protagonists, and bespoke lesson plans for key books. We help educators weave these materials into curricula and provide ongoing coaching on LGBTQ themes and terminology.

By Spring 2020, we will have worked with over 120 rural schools in 35 states. Of the educators we’ve worked with, 90% believe Hope in a Box noticeably improves LGBT students’ emotional well-being within one semester of receiving the materials; 80% formally incorporated the materials into curricula. Hundreds of schools across the country remain on our waitlist.