Karen Klein, the former Rochester, N.Y., school bus monitor who was shown on video being bullied by student passengers, has started an anti-bullying foundation using $75,000 from donations she received after her mistreatment went viral.
More than 32,000 web users contributed to donations for Klein to take a much needed vacation after the YouTube video taken on board the school bus surfaced in May. All told, the campaign created on the site Indigogo by citizen Max Sidorov generated more than $700,000 for Klein. The money not only enabled Klein to take that vacation with her family but to also retire from the school district.
“You have all inspired me by your acts of love,” said Klein. “But now it is time for me to give back and to turn your single act of kindness into my own personal movement to stop bullying in America. The Karen Klein Anti-Bullying Foundation, which I am seeding with $75,000, will be the gathering point for millions of people to support the anti-bullying movement. Together, we will change the world.”
She said the goal is to help teach children how to be “kind, friendly and playing nicely with others.” The foundation is launching the “No Bully Tour 2012,” a music event, and will also be supporting Sidorov’s 7 Million Acts of Love, the Play Pretty, Play Pals Project, and the PACER Center’s Teens Against Bullying campaign.
