Watts Community - former DPS board chair Matt Sears has asked to share the below. RootEd in DPS launched the Tickets for Teachers program and many of our staff stand to benefit from that work (we've already had Watts teachers sign up in the first few days). Please see the note below regarding their one-time fundraiser to launch the program. Since the fundraiser will last only one week, there is some urgency to share it.
Friends/neighbors,
Last month we launched the Tickets for Teachers program which allows community members to easily donate their unused event tickets directly to Durham Public Schools educators and support staff for a well-deserved night out. In just one week we had 500 teachers/staff sign up and gave away 15 sets of tickets to DPAC and other venues, demonstrating incredible community support for our schools. Can you donate financially TODAY to our ONE-TIME, one-week fundraiser to unlock hundreds more Tickets for Teachers?
Durham loves its educators! Since launching Tickets for Teachers, the community has stepped up incredibly, donating seats to DPAC, the Durham Bulls, and the Hurricanes. The supply of community goodwill is huge, and the demand from our thousands of DPS teachers, bus drivers, and support staff is even bigger.
But connecting a generous donor's ticket—especially a last-minute cancellation—with the right educator at the right school takes time. Right now, doing this manually limits how many educators we can serve. To ensure no donated ticket ever goes to waste, we need to upgrade our engine.
We are raising funds to build the permanent infrastructure of Tickets for Teachers. Your financial donation in 2026 directly funds:
A Custom Tech Platform: Building an automated matching tool that instantly pairs ticket donations (even with only hours of notice!) to the specific preferences of Durham Public Schools staff.
Marketing & Outreach: Expanding our reach to secure more private and corporate donors, season ticket holders, and venue partnerships, drastically increasing the volume of tickets coming into the system.
Seamless Operations: Funding the initial day-to-day management needed to process hundreds—and eventually thousands—of tickets a year efficiently.
Funding our operations is the ultimate multiplier. A one-time, financial gift to build our tech tool doesn't just send one teacher to a game—it builds the automated, sustainable system that will send thousands of educators to events for years to come. It allows us to scale our impact to every single school in Durham.
Invest in the infrastructure of appreciation. Donate today to help us build the technology and operations that will scale Tickets for Teachers, ensuring every DPS educator gets the night out they deserve.
Can you make a tax-deductible contribution?
$35 - Equivalent to 2 movie tickets to the Carolina Theater. Will help us notify all of Durham about Tickets for Teachers.
$70 - Equivalent to 2 tickets and food/beverage at Durham Bulls. Will allow us to seek unique ticket experiences from regional partners like Carowinds, Busch Gardens, etc.
$250 - Equivalent to a family of 4 attending a Carolina Hurricanes game w/ parking, food/beverage. Will keep Tickets for Teachers on-call for last-minute ticket matching.
$1,000 - Equivalent to a family of 4 attending a Carolina Panthers game w/ parking, food/beverage. Will help develop our tech tool to automate ticket matching in 2026.
Thank you for your generous support of our Durham Public Schools teachers and staff!
Matt, Chief Connector at RootEd in DPS, Founder of Tickets for Teachers