BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- School budget woes have caused some teachers to look for more creative ways to fund their classroom projects. Local teachers want people to know about an web-based charity that is designed to help lend a hand.

The site is called Donorschoose.org and is an online charity that makes it easy for anyone who wants to help out schools. Thursday-ABC 23 talked with some teachers at Norris Elementary about the Web site and how it has helped them fund some classroom projects.

The students in Mrs. Bangels class received donations totaling $400 for a project called "Hot Shoots For Hot Dots. " That program was designed to make learning math more fun. Right next door in Mrs. Cunningham's class, they received more than $200 in donations for books. Both teachers say this Website has been a great tool in getting new material in their classrooms.

Here's how it works: public school teachers from every corner of America post classroom project requests on Donorschoose.org. Requests range from pencils for a poetry writing unit, to violins for a school recital, to microscope slides for a biology class. Then, you can browse project requests and give any amount to the one that makes your eye twinkle. Once a project reaches its funding goal, the materials are delivered to the school.

The program also eases the burden on teachers, who often pay for classroom supplies themselves. A 2003 national education association survey found that teachers spent an average of $443 of their own money annually.