~Original Post~I'm raising money to buy STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) toys for kids in some of the poorest areas of West Virginia. A couple years ago, we raised about $4000 for kids in San Francisco. This year, we're hoping to beat that goal and cover the kids in my home state of WV.A donation of $25 will purchase 1 STEM toy for a child.West Virginia is one of the only states in the nation where the poverty level continues to increase. Because STEM toys are, on average, more expensive than non-science/tech related toys, I wanted to help get these into the hands of children who were least likely to get them any other way.STEM toys can help kids learn how to think like scientists and engineers through play. And because many of these toys feature women and POC - they offer a more inclusive representation of people who are capable of STEM careers.As a woman in STEM from West Virginia, I understand how hard it can be to see yourself in one of these careers. As a kid, I never thought of myself as one of the smart kids who could pursue a career in STEM. It wasn't until I found my incredibly supportive professors in college that I found my love of science and tech. I want to help bring that spark to younger kids, so they can start their STEM learning earlier than I did.I'll be distributing the toys to a handful of different non-profit organizations (see below) who work with at-risk students in WV counties who have poverty rates higher than the national average, which is 14%. Many of these toys will be distributed to Boone County, who's poverty rate is 26%.Organizations who will receive toys:Boone County 4-HCabell County 4-HPATCH21 Program - They work with at-risk students in Roane, Jackson, and Mason CountyClay County After School ProgramBob Burdette Center - Kanawha County