Local Leaders Provide Ways for Community Action Supporting WS/FCS Schools, Teachers, and Students

In response to the financial crisis facing Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools (WS/FCS), nonprofits, foundations, business leaders, faith organizations and advocates across Forsyth County have formed an Education Collaborative to provide pathways for community action in support of local schools, teachers, and students. This group has launched a website, AllInForOurSchools.org, to serve as a coordinated community hub for donation opportunities specific to identified and immediate needs, while evaluating longer-term solutions.  

“We’ve heard the community loud and clear that people want to know what and how they can help our teachers and students during this unprecedented crisis,” said Marni Eisner, executive director of the nonprofit Education Foundation in benefit of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools, an independent foundation formed in 2022 to raise monies to support teacher and student enrichment. “It’s inspiring to witness local businesses, faith organizations, neighborhoods and others coming together to support our schools. The Education Collaborative is launching with specific initiatives to meet some of the most pressing and immediate needs in our local schools and providing the community with a centralized hub for giving and engaging. We will continue to leverage our collective expertise as we work to strengthen public education in Forsyth County going forward.”

At launch, the All In For Our Schools website links to three funds, all of which will direct monies to local schools:

• Education Foundation Classroom Supplies Fund established by the Education Foundation needs to raise $1.4 million to address the immediate school supplies shortfall. Contributions will be directed to the 81 individual schools across the district. This fund will support teachers by stocking their classrooms with high-quality school supplies such as printer paper and ink, art supplies, science lab kits, notebooks, and other tools for teaching. As this fund grows under the Education Foundation more grants will be made directly to the individual schools. Community philanthropists Mike and Wendy Brenner have generously pledged $500,000 to match all contributions made to the Supplies Fund. The Brenners, both public school graduates (Mike is a graduate of R.J. Reynolds High School), are dedicated to supporting teachers and students. Make a gift at wsfoundation.org/classroom-supplies.

• WS/FCS Student Success Fund established by The Winston-Salem Foundation will support students across the school district. Contributions to this fund will be directed to the WS/FCS system to cover specific needs such as curriculum booklets, AP exam fees, background checks for school volunteers, student health assessments, ESL translation services, and other resources to help students succeed. Make a gift at wsfoundation.org/student-success.

• Every Shelf, Every Student book drive led by the nonprofit Bookmarks, an independent non-profit bookstore in Winston-Salem, will have a curated list of urgently needed books available for purchase at bookmarksnc.org—empowering individuals, families, and businesses to make a direct and lasting impact on student literacy.

The All in For Our Schools website also includes Amazon Wish Lists provided by local schools. Items purchased on those wish lists are then shipped directly to the recipient schools. In the coming weeks, organizers plan to add more information about other community efforts across Forsyth County that are mobilizing people, money, supplies, advocacy, and partnerships in benefit of our schools.  

Greater Winston-Salem Inc. is a member of the Education Collaborative encouraging local businesses to engage with their support. Mark Owens, President & CEO of Greater Winston Salem Inc., highlighted the connection between schools and the local economy, “Strong schools fuel strong communities and strong economies. If we want Forsyth County to remain competitive, we must step up to support education. The Education Collaborative brings us together to rally behind public schools—not just because it’s right, but because it’s essential to our region’s growth.”

The Winston-Salem Foundation is another partner of the Education Collaborative. Earlier in the school year, the Foundation awarded a $40,000 grant to the school district to help fund the cost associated with the district’s new superintendent search. The Foundation also is spearheading the WSFCS Student Success Fund to ensure students have the resources they need to thrive this school year. “Every young person in our community deserves access to strong schools and high-quality education,” said LaTida Smith, president of The Winston-Salem Foundation. “We’ve heard from many generous donors and residents who want to be part of the solution, and we’re proud to provide a pathway to pool charitable dollars together for the greatest impact.”  

Kellie P. Easton, president/co-CEO of Action4Equity, another Education Collaborative partner and a longtime advocate for equity in education, emphasized the importance of addressing the systemic, root problems of inadequate, inequitable funding for public education across North Carolina. “This crisis is the result of decades of disinvestment in our public schools, especially in communities with the most Black, Latine and low-income families. We’re engaged in this collaborative to ensure that community is shaping the vision of what public education in Forsyth County can and must become. We must not simply react to this moment, but use it as an opportunity to ensure every child has access to quality education.”

Other initial partners of the Education Collaborative include The Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust, Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, Forsyth Technical Community College, Love Literacy, Forsyth Futures, Love Out Loud, Crossnore Communities for Children, Knollwood Baptist/Faith in the City, IAF, and Thriving Together.  

“Establishing this collaborative and harnessing the energy and generosity across every sector of our community is just the first step in emerging from this crisis with a stronger, more vibrant public education ecosystem,” said Eisner. “Today, there is joy and excellence happening in our classrooms despite this crisis, and we thank our teachers for creating those spaces for our children to learn and discover. Our focus right now is providing the immediate support our schools, teachers and students need to succeed. There is much work ahead and we look forward to what we can achieve as a community together.”