Sometimes, a little inspiration is all you need.

After teachers at Meadowbrook Farms and Hanaford went ahead publishing a series of grants requests on the national website Donor’s Choose (which puts donors in touch with classrooms in need of support), parents realized they needed to step up their game in support.

The result?

“A Taste of the World,” a fundraiser at the Varnum Armory Saturday, March 10, will feature a sampling of dishes from a dozen or so area restaurants representing different regions of the world as well as a silent auction and raffle. All are welcome.

Restaurants and other vendors from East Greenwich and throughout Rhode Island will showcase their dishes, including Restaurant 1149, The Fish Market, Millonzi’s, Los Andes, the Marra Group/Atomic Catering, Tío Mateo’s, Munroe Dairy, East Greenwich Pizzeria, Colleen’s Nuts, and Wild Harvest Bakery.

In addition, local and national businesses have contributed more than 50 silent auction items including four tickets to Walt Disney World, a signed Red Sox baseball, VIP passes and a gondola ride at WaterFire Providence, a weekend driving a seven series BMW, orthodontist services, and spa and salon services.

“Experience prizes” are also up for grabs, including an opportunity to be a Firefighter for a Day courtesy of the E.G. Fire Department, a ride to school in a police car courtesy of the E.G. Police Department, and a behind-the-scenes tour of one of New York’s top bakeries.

The event stems from parents' desire to support the teachers at Meadowbrook Farms and Hanaford who — living with the lack of current technology in the classroom every day — decided to use "Donor's Choose," a website that matches donors with classrooms in need of support, to help fix that.

Among the items teachers are looking for are laptop computers, document cameras, and projectors. So far, seven grant proposals had been published on www.donorschoose.org.

To support the teachers’ efforts and encourage community members to get involved in the initiative, the Meadowbrook and Hanaford technology group has organized the "A Taste of the World" in collaboration with both schools’ PTGs and principals. All of the proceeds from ticket sales, raffles, and the silent auction will benefit the two schools.

Tickets for the March 10 event are $25 per person. Payment can be made by check or by donating to a teacher’s grant and sending proof of your contribution to the event organizers. For more information, please contact Kate Goldman or Bambi Lukens at egelementaryfundraiserevent@gmail.com. 

The Technology Group has also created a Facebook page for the event: Taste of the World Meadowbrook Farms and Hanaford Classroom Fundraiser. A complete list of food vendors and sponsors and links to the grant pages are available on the Facebook profile.