RALEIGH, N.C. — WakeEd Partnership (WakeEd) kicked off “Back to School with Tools4Schools” today at an event in Holly Springs and announced a new $25,000 matching grant from the 4Others Foundation. The 4Others Foundation will match any donation to WakeEd Partnership’s Tools4Schools through the end of August up to $25,000. “Back to School with Tools4Schools” is WakeEd’s community-wide school supply drive to stock the shelves at WakeEd’s free classroom supply store for teachers Tools4Schools.
“The 4Others Foundation was instrumental in helping us open the doors to Tools4Schools in January and now they are stepping up again to help stock the shelves as we prepare to open up to all Wake County teachers later this month,” said Keith Poston, President, WakeEd Partnership. “The mission of Tools4Schools is simple. We know teachers are spending money out of their own pockets for classroom supplies for their students and we want to help meet that need so teachers and students have everything they need to focus on learning.”
The 4 Others Foundation helped get Tools4Schools off the ground late last year by pledging $50,000 in matching funds in October 2021 if WakeEd could raise $50,000 by December 31, 2021. WakeEd crossed the $50K finish line December 6 and Tools4Schools opened in January.
The new community-wide school supply drive kicked off just in time for back to school. Some Year-Round Wake County Public Schools started back last week and Traditional Calendar will return in late August.
All gifts to WakeEd Partnership and Tools4Schools are tax-deductible. Click here to donate using a debit or credit card and have your donation doubled!. Checks can be mailed to WakeEd Partnership at 3101 Industrial Drive, Suite 100, Raleigh, NC 27609, with Tools4Schools on the memo line.
How else you can support Tools4Schools
In addition to cash donations, WakeEd Partnership takes donations of new and gently used items for classroom from companies, organizations and individuals, including serving as a one-stop drop for any community school supply drives that wish to partner with Tool4Schools. Find a drop box near you by clicking here.
Shop from WakeEd’s our Amazon wishlist to buy items most-requested by our teachers and ship right to the shelves at Tools4Schools. Click here and select our Tools4Schools address at checkout.
If your business or organization is interested in hosting your own supply drive to benefit Tools4Schools, click here to register your Tools4Schools classroom supply drive and click here to download our classroom supply drive kit and start collecting! If you have any questions, email us at Tools4Schools@wakeed.org.
About WakeEd Partnership
WakeEd Partnership is an independent, nonprofit organization composed of business and community leaders committed to improving public education. Since 1983, the Partnership has advocated for excellent educational opportunities for all students in the Wake County Public School System. For more information, please visit www.wakeed.org.