The North Carolina Foundation for Public School Children believes that every child in the public schools of North Carolina should have hope, dignity and an opportunity to learn and enjoy their school experience. The foundation has provided more than a million dollars of services including eyeglasses and exams, medication, clothing, school supplies and disaster relief support to eliminate barriers to learning and provide a safety net for children and families in need.
Michael Lee is a North Carolina State Senator and a strong advocate for the construction of a new facility for Isaac Bear Early College, a school that serves some of the most gifted students in our region. Since 2007, students have attended classes in a modular unit on UNCW’s campus. For the past several years, Lee has been actively engaged at the state and local levels, working to develop a long-term plan to provide an enhanced learning environment for IBEC students. His leadership was central to securing the appropriation of nearly $1 million in design funding from the NC General Assembly in December 2021, and he has remained involved in the collaborative effort currently underway between the NC Department of Public Instruction, New Hanover County Schools and UNCW’s Watson College of Education to turn the vision of a new Isaac Bear building into a reality.
LeeAnne Quattrucci is a Wilmington attorney and a passionate advocate for children and families. As Guardian ad Litem in both New Hanover and Pender counties, she represents foster children in court, helping to ensure that they do not become neglected or abandoned. In her private practice, Quattrucci has assisted more than 800 families with adoptions over the past 10 years. She is the former President of Voices Latina, and has served as a Pro Bono attorney for Legal Aid of North Carolina and the Battered Immigrants Project. She currently serves on several boards including WHQR Public Radio, Leading Into New Communities (LINC), Carolina Law Pro Bono Advisory Board, Wake Forest Scholarship Committee and the YWCA.
Willie Sloan is the founder of Towncreek Vision Corporation, a community-based nonprofit in Leland, NC. The organization was established in 1992 with the goal of enhancing opportunities for African American children. Today, TVC operates parks, recreation facilities and seniors’ activity buildings accessible throughout the county. They also offer a Food Pantry, a community garden, educational programs, and a workforce development program for youth. For more than three decades, Sloan has provided leadership and hands-on support to the TVC, helping to enrich the lives of the residents throughout the Snowfield community.