Stephen Colbert Auctioned Off His 'Colbert Report' Set to Help Public Schools

Find out how the TV host and his partners will donate $800K.

ByABC News
May 7, 2015, 3:22 PM
This Sept. 23, 2012, file photo shows TV personality Stephen Colbert at the 64th Primetime Emmy Awards Governors Ball in Los Angeles.
This Sept. 23, 2012, file photo shows TV personality Stephen Colbert at the 64th Primetime Emmy Awards Governors Ball in Los Angeles.
Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP Photo

— -- Stephen Colbert is giving back to public schools in his home state.

The former "Colbert Report" host, a product of the South Carolina public school system, announced today that he is going to help to fund every grant request on the crowd-funding site, DonorsChoose.org from local public school teachers.

"Using the proceeds of the sale of my old set on the 'Colbert Report' that we auctioned off, and the generous matching funds from the Morgridge Family Foundation and ScanSource, DonorsChoose is going to flash-fund all 1,000 projects in South Carolina schools," he said. "Enjoy your learning, South Carolina!"

Colbert, 50, who is set to take over "The Late Show" later this year, and his partners are will help more than 800 teachers at over 375 schools buy the things they need to help their students, according to the Greenville News. The donations will total $800,000, the newspaper reported.

"It couldn't happen at a better time because it's Teacher Appreciation Week," said schools Superintendent Molly Spearman in a video posted on the newspaper's website. "That is wonderful. We are so proud you're from South Carolina!"

Colbert serves on the DonorsChoose.org board of directors, according The Associated Press.