About Up For Grabs:
What We Are Doing:
We're the bridge between hearts that want to give and hands that need to receive. Every day, dedicated teachers across South Florida are teaching with outdated textbooks, broken supplies, and empty supply closets. Meanwhile, generous community members want to help but don't know where to start or how to make the biggest impact.
That's where we come in. We're not just collecting donations—we're creating connections. We're not just filling supply closets—we're filling dreams. Because when a child has the tools they need to learn, there's no limit to what they can achieve.
How We Are Doing It:
We believe change happens when people see the real story. That's why we've created something unique: a video series inspired by the beloved show Abbott Elementary, featuring our School Partners and the incredible teachers who work there. Through short, funny, and heartwarming videos, we're pulling back the curtain on classroom life—showing both the challenges and the joy that happen when communities come together.
Here's how we turn awareness into action:
Connect: Our videos introduce you to real teachers with real needs, making the abstract concrete and the distant personal.
Collect: Through our easy-to-use platform, you can donate exactly what's needed—whether that's school supplies, uniforms, lunchboxes, or monetary contributions that we transform into classroom essentials.
Distribute: We work directly with School Partners to ensure every donation reaches the students who need it most, when they need it most.
Celebrate: We share the impact of your generosity, showing how your contribution translates into student success stories.
No red tape. No bureaucracy. Just a direct line from your generosity to a student's potential.
When you donate to Up For Grabs, you're not just buying supplies—you're buying belief. Belief that every child deserves the tools to succeed. Belief that teachers shouldn't have to choose between paying groceries and buying classroom materials. Belief that a community united can transform education, one classroom at a time. Because the best lessons happen when everyone has what they need to learn.
Meet our founder
Juliana Rodriguez
Juliana first had the idea to create Up for Grabs during the pandemic upon learning how expensive back to school supplies cost from several news reports. At the same time, she learned about different communities creating grassroot organizations and systems. Seeing how communities were coming together to create solutions where systems fell short inspired her to find a solution to help teachers and parents financially with educational resources. It was evident to her that the physical and financial resources existed for these classrooms -what was missing was a bridge to connect them with those who needed them most.
She felt inspired to take a creative strategy after taking improv classes at Villain Theater, and rewatching one of her favorite episodes on Abbott Elementary, where teachers used social media to get their classroom wish lists fulfilled. Juliana decided to take a risk and create her own short comedy series that features local teachers and their stories, using humor to raise awareness across South Florida and inspire direct action to support our educators.
This Seasons Partner: Carol City Elementary
Season 1 of Up For Grabs features 4 Carol City Elementary teachers! To learn more about the school and their teachers needs, click the button below.