RALEIGH, N.C. — WakeEd Partnership is teaming up with the NC Courage for a special Back-to-School Match on Saturday, August 16, 2025, to support Tools4Schools, WakeEd’s free classroom supply store for Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) teachers.
Fans attending the 7:30 p.m. match at First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park are encouraged to bring new school supply donations to help stock the Tools4Schools store, which provides essential classroom materials to educators across Wake County—free of charge.
In addition, $3 from every ticket purchased through the special WakeEd link will be donated to Tools4Schools: https://tickets.nccourage.com/offers/1959. These tickets will also include a $10 merchandise voucher.
“Teachers are spending their own money on basic classroom needs for their students, and that’s unacceptable,” said WakeEd President Keith Poston. “Tools4Schools exists to ease that burden—and it’s only possible because of the incredible generosity of this community and partners like the NC Courage. We’re so appreciative of the NC Courage, who have supported Tools4Schools since we opened in 2022.”
As part of the evening, WakeEd Partnership will be honored at halftime as the charity of choice for NC Courage player Hannah Betfort, a nominee for the 2025 Lauren Holiday Impact Award. Hannah will wear a commemorative armband featuring a silhouette of the award’s namesake, Lauren Holiday.
Hannah has partnered with WakeEd to launch an innovative PE Takeover program, bringing soccer-based, hands-on learning experiences into local schools. Her goal is to make learning more fun and engaging by using the game she loves to inspire students.
Fans can also show their support for Hannah by participating in the Fan Impact Challenge, hosted at nwslsoccer.com from August 15–30. The nominee with the most fan engagement will win the challenge, and the charitable organization of their choice will receive an additional $10,000 donation from Nationwide. Learn more about the Lauren Holiday Impact Award here:
https://nwslsoccer.com/lauren-holiday-impact-award-2025
This event coincides with WakeEd’s ongoing Back to School with Tools4Schools Community Supply Drive, which runs through August 22. The eight-week drive helps ensure that teachers across WCPSS have the materials they need for the upcoming school year.
Since its launch in 2022, Tools4Schools has distributed over $1.6 million in free supplies to WCPSS educators. In the last school year alone, the store served more than 5,000 teachers from every WCPSS school. Surveys show that 94% of teachers said it helped reduce their out-of-pocket classroom spending—costs that average more than $1,000 per teacher per year.
Learn more or support Tools4Schools at: https://www.wakeed.org/tools4schools/
For sponsorship or giving inquiries, contact Kristen Farrell, WakeEd’s Director of Development, at kfarrell@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.
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