Mitch & Betsy Oakley Fund boosts Guilford Education Alliance

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Executive search firm Charles Aris Inc. is pleased to announce that the Guilford Education Alliance (GEA) is the recipient of a charitable donation from the Mitch & Betsy Oakley Fund. The $10,000 donation was made by Charles Aris team members in honor of the Oakley family.

GEA is a nonprofit organization that supports Guilford County Schools, the public education system supporting residents of the North Carolina county. The Alliance builds relationships between the communities in Guilford County and the schools which educate the children in them, galvanizing broad-based support for public education.

As part of its efforts to support teachers and students in Guilford County Schools (GCS), GEA operates a Teacher Supply Warehouse to offer new and gently used classroom supplies to GCS educators at no cost. The Warehouse is designed to help offset the personal cost of $600 to $1,000 spent by teachers on supplies each year.

Karen Hornfeck, director of communication and campaigns for GEA, is grateful for the Charles Aris donation and is excited to put the funding to good use.

“This incredibly generous donation will enable GEA to keep the shelves of the Teacher Supply Warehouse stocked with the most-needed supplies so teachers and students have the tools they need for success, whether learning is in person or virtual,” Hornfeck said. “This year, more than ever before, teachers have been carrying an extraordinary weight as they navigate keeping kids connected and learning in the midst of the pandemic. This gift makes an incredible impact.”

Before COVID-19 forced schools to shut down in March 2020, the Warehouse served 2,465 teachers. Since GEA reopened the Warehouse in November, it has already served more than 500 teachers. The Alliance also raised funds to provide 10,000 reconditioned laptops to students and 40 mobile Wi-Fi hotspots to students who lacked the necessary tools for online learning.

The Oakleys are dedicated to propelling the firm’s cause of “changing lives, transforming businesses and enriching communities.” Mitch Oakley has led the retained executive search firm since 1969 and his wife, Betsy, chairs the Board of Trustees at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. They are excited to be part of Charles Aris Inc.’s latest initiative to give back to its community.

“Betsy and I could not be any prouder of the firm and its generous contributions,” Mitch Oakley said. “Supporting the Guilford Education Alliance’s mission of preparing children for the future fuels our goal to help enrich Guilford County and its public school system. We’re honored to contribute to such an organization that gives back to our community on the education front.”

Charles Aris Executive Search began accumulating funds for the Mitch & Betsy Oakley Fund in December 2019. The firm has partnered with GEA in a variety of ways in past years, including participating in donation drives and volunteering at the Warehouse.

Charles Aris vice president Jody Bischoff is excited about the firm’s team members enhancing this partnership and is hopeful that the grant will provide needed support for the Alliance and all whom it champions.

“The pandemic brought unique challenges to students and families in our community, as well as our teachers, as they transitioned to virtual learning models,” Bischoff said. “Because of this, we chose to donate the funds collected to an organization that we felt could make the most impact on the students and teachers in our entire community – and felt that the Guilford Education Alliance was the perfect organization to do so.”

GEA is currently accepting new classroom supplies. Its list of most-needed items includes copy paper, No. 2 pencils, USB drives, colored markers and pencils, highlighters, index cards and disinfectant wipes among other materials. If interested in donating, contact the Warehouse Manager at TSW@GEANC.org or by calling (336) 793-2133.

To learn more about Charles Aris Executive Search, call (336) 378-1818 or visit CharlesAris.com.