Every teacher knows the challenge of knowing what their students need, and knowing there may not be enough to provide it. So much is asked of teachers—and somehow, against all odds, they keep showing up with more. More heart. More hope. More of their own resources. Across the country, educators are spending their own money, digging into personal budgets, and carrying the financial weight of preparing their classrooms.

On average, teachers spend more than $820 a year to bridge the gap—and for many, it’s not optional. It’s the only way students get what they need.

At Kids In Need Foundation, we believe it’s time to match their passion with action. We believe educators shouldn’t have to shoulder that weight alone. That every student deserves to walk into a classroom ready to learn with confidence.

That belief drives every partnership we pursue, and it’s the reason we’re especially proud to work alongside partners like the Burger King Foundation to help ease the burden on teachers and ensure students walk into classrooms filled not just with materials, but with opportunity.

“Many schools in underserved communities face the challenge of a lack of resources, hindering students’ ability to fully engage in their education… We want to match our educators’ passion by bridging the gap in education.”

That’s not just something we believe—it’s how our partners at the Burger King Foundation define their mission through the Crown A Classroom program. What started as a bold idea in 2023 has quickly grown into one of our most inspiring, community-powered programs. 

Developed in partnership with the Burger King Foundation and supported by local Burger King franchisees, Crown A Classroom aims to ensure that teachers and students in under-resourced schools are equipped with everything they need to begin the year strong: from notebooks and pencils to scissors and art supplies. 

By its second year, Crown A Classroom had already scaled rapidly—driven by urgent need and undeniable impact. In 2024 alone, this initiative served over 100,000 students in over 1,300 schools nationwide, with more than $1.1 million worth of supplies distributed to date. Those numbers tell part of the story, but the real narrative is what happens on the other side of the delivery. This program is about more than giving out school supplies. It’s about dignity. It’s about equity. It’s about a community stepping in where the system falls short.

Each year, Burger King franchisees across the country sign on to sponsor schools in their own communities. Kids In Need Foundation then connects each participating franchise with a local under-resourced school, delivering pre-packed kits through our Supply A Teacher program—each one filled with enough supplies for a semester of learning. These are local leaders stepping up to meet the need right in their backyard. Their support, alongside national coordination from KINF and the Burger King Foundation, turns individual generosity into collective impact. Some of them help pack kits themselves, and many choose to stay connected long after delivery day—checking in with principals, visiting classrooms, and looking for new ways to stay involved.

And behind the scenes, Kids In Need Foundation provides the operational backbone that makes it all possible: sourcing, assembling, and coordinating the logistics of thousands of kits. From there, it’s more than orchestration—it’s connection. Each franchisee receives promotional materials and landing pages to share with their customers and communities, and every participating school receives not just supplies, but recognition and follow-up support. We collect feedback, photos, and stories—real proof that this effort is working, and real momentum to keep it going.

And it is working. Teachers have shared that Crown A Classroom not only lightens the financial load, but lifts the emotional one too. Because when students are equipped, they’re more confident. More engaged. More ready to succeed.

This collaboration—corporate, local, and nonprofit—represents the best of what can happen when everyone brings their strengths to the table. It shows what’s possible when we take a big idea and bring it to classrooms one by one, school by school, student by student. It’s proof that when community and corporate purpose align, students win.

Meet Ms. Pierre’s Classroom

At Freedom Shores Elementary, a Title I school in Florida, teacher Natasha Pierre sees the realities of classroom inequity every day. Many of her students come from families who aren’t able to provide school supplies, and too often, that gap shows up in ways that affect confidence, participation, and learning.

That’s why the arrival of the Crown A Classroom supply kits was such a powerful moment.

Thanks to support from the Burger King Foundation, Natasha’s classroom received a full delivery of school supplies—everything from notebooks and pencils to the basics students need to stay organized.

With desks full and ready, Natasha knew she wouldn’t have to ration supplies or worry about who has what. She knew she was set for the long haul.

“I’m so happy that I now have more than enough supplies to last us the year,” she said, “so no child feels left out.”

But perhaps the most powerful moment was the day the supplies arrived.

“The smile on their faces when the boxes were delivered was priceless,” Natasha said. “Thank you a million, Burger King and KINF.”

In one delivery, a burden was lifted—and something even more lasting was left behind: a classroom where every child can feel included.

Join Kids In Need Foundation Mission

This is what it looks like when partnership meets purpose. With the Burger King Foundation and hundreds of franchisees across the country, we’re creating classrooms filled not just with supplies, but with hope, equity, and opportunity. Crown A Classroom is making a measurable difference in thousands of classrooms. But with school right around the corner, the need continues to grow—and so does our determination to meet it. 

Your support helps us reach more teachers who are stretched thin, and more students who simply need a solid start. With your help, we can expand this model even further—bringing semester-long support to the classrooms that need it most.

As we prepare for back to school, help us turn belief into action. Sponsor a classroom. Fund a supply kit. Help build a better year for everyone who steps inside a school.

Written By: Emily Pineda