Cheez-It Teams up with College Football Playoff Foundation on Donation to Empower Educators for a Brighter Future
For Release
September 19, 2023
Cheez-It, the go-to cheezy snack of college football fans, has joined forces with the College Football Playoff (CFP) Foundation and its Extra Yard for Teachers initiative, which is dedicated to supporting and uplifting educators across the nation. This partnership aims to recognize teachers who have their students feelin’ the cheeziest—next level excited—for school, delivering funds to educators across the country to ensure they have the tools they need to inspire and educate future generations.
Cheez-It and the CFP Foundation understand the significance of recognizing and appreciating the incredible work done by teachers. As part of their collaborative efforts, they have engaged multiple college football student-athletes to express gratitude and share personal stories that honor educators and highlight their invaluable contributions. Cheez-It has planned multiple surprises for teachers by funding classroom projects on DonorsChoose and encouraging others to join the brand to support educators across the country.
As part of the announcement and in honor of the Big Day for Teachers, Cheez-It kicked off the campaign with the release of a video surprise from college football player Terian Williams, who honored his former teacher Mr. Hayes from Dutchtown Elementary School in Atlanta, GA with a $10,000 DonorsChoose gift code to the school in his teacher’s name. (LINK TO VIDEO)
Additionally, the first of two larger donations was made today to support over 200 high school teachers from Equity Focus schools across Illinois and Michigan. Equity Focus Schools are historically underfunded schools where at least 50% of students are Black, Latino, Native American, Pacific Islander, or multiracial and at least 50% of students qualify for free or reduced price lunch. Cheez-It will be making more donations to projects in January around the time of the CFP National Championship.
“Cheez-It is thrilled to partner with the College Football Playoff Foundation and Extra Yard for Teachers to give back to educators who truly elevate the teaching profession,” said Cara Tragseiler, brand senior director for Cheez-It. “Over the course of the 2023 college football season, Cheez-It will donate $250,000 to support schools across the U.S. in honor of the dedicated teachers who get their students Feelin’ the Cheeziest—or next level excited—for academics. Follow @CheezIt on your favorite social channel this season to get an inside look at some inspiring athlete stories and teacher surprises!”
“We are thrilled to have Cheez-It be a part of our work to recognize and fund educators through Extra Yard for Teachers,” said CFP Foundation Executive Director Britton Banowsky. “They have a proven history of dedication to teachers through their support of DonorsChoose and so we are happy to collaborate with them to further celebrate the remarkable work of educators through the college football platform as well.”
For more information and to follow the excitement, visit cheezit.com/ExtraYardForTeachers.
About the College Football Playoff Foundation
The College Football Playoff (CFP) Foundation is the 501(c)3 non-profit organization serving as the community engagement arm of the College Football Playoff and works in partnership with institutions of higher education, sports organizations, corporations and non-profits to support educators and improve student outcomes. The purpose of the CFP Foundation lies in supporting PK-12 education by elevating the teaching profession. The CFP Foundation inspires and empowers educators by focusing its work in four areas: recognition, resources, recruitment and retention and professional development. To learn more, visit cfp-foundation.org and follow Extra Yard for Teachers (@CFPExtraYard) on social media.
About DonorsChoose
DonorsChoose is the leading way to give to public schools. Since 2000, 5.9 million people and partners have contributed $1.5 billion to support 2.7 million teacher requests for classroom resources and experiences. As the most trusted crowdfunding platform for teachers, donors, and district administrators alike, DonorsChoose vets each request, ships the funded resources directly to the classroom, and provides thank yous and reporting to donors and school leaders. Charity Navigator and GuideStar have awarded DonorsChoose, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, their highest ratings for transparency and accountability.