LOS ANGELES (CBS) — Los Angeles-area schools are getting a little help from Starbucks in the classroom.

Beginning on Jan. 23, nearly 200 LA Starbucks stores will be giving out 285,000 $10 DonorsChooseLA.org gift cards to customers.

Customers can then go online and choose where and how they want their $10 donation card to be spent in a local classroom.

The program is funded by a $4 million Wasserman Foundation donation to help fulfill classroom needs, foster innovation in education, and create a new corps of micro-philanthropists in Los Angeles.

“Starbucks is committed to helping communities thrive, and a strong education system is the foundation of a strong community,” said Cecilia Carter, VP of Global Diversity, Community and Government Affairs, Starbucks.

All LAUSD public and charter school teachers have been encouraged to post up to two classroom projects with a total project cost of $1,000 per project. These projects are all posted on www.DonorsChooseLA.org.

Classroom projects that will be funded include books, microscopes, field trips, and musical instruments.