- The annual gifts mark a 15% increase from 2024 and includes 10 food banks across North and South Carolina -
CHARLOTTE (February 3, 2025) – The David & Nicole Tepper Foundation (DNTF) announced over $1.5 million in donations across 10 food banks throughout North and South Carolina, as well as Feeding the Carolinas. This marks a 15 percent increase in DNTF’s annual gifts to these food banks and does not include additional support for special projects throughout the year. Food insecurity has been a pillar of the Teppers’ philanthropic giving since acquiring the Carolina Panthers in 2018. DNTF has donated over $2.8 million to food banks in the last year alone, reflecting the Foundation's continued commitment to combatting hunger and supporting local communities.
“Especially in the wake of Hurricane Helene and the destruction it wreaked across the Carolinas, the fight to alleviate food insecurity is of dire importance, and The David & Nicole Tepper Foundation remains committed to this crucial cause,” said Nicole Tepper. “For years, DNTF has been working closely with these incredible organizations, and we are proud to continue this support and provide even further assistance to the heroic men and women who serve, nourish, and uplift their local communities on a daily basis.”
Donations have been dispersed to:
- Feeding the Carolinas
- Food Bank of the Albemarle
- Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina
- Golden Harvest Food Bank
- Harvest Hope Food Bank
- Inter-Faith Food Shuttle and Bank
- Lowcountry Food Bank
- MANNA Food Bank
- Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina
- Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest North Carolina
- Second Harvest Food Bank of Southeast North Carolina
“The David and Nicole Tepper Foundation has been a wonderful partner and supporter of Feeding the Carolinas and its ten-member Food Banks for many years,” said Mike Darrow, Executive Director of Feeding the Carolinas. “Their financial support, and more importantly their true passion and concern for those in need of food, is so valued and critical to our work. Whether during disasters or ‘blue skies’, we can always count on the Foundation to be there – first and throughout. It is great to have a partner that you can point to as an example of how philanthropy should work. We cannot thank them enough!”
In addition to these annual gifts, The David & Nicole Tepper Foundation maintains ongoing dialogue with food banks throughout the Carolinas to provide ancillary support as new needs emerge throughout the year. In 2024, this included collaborating with Inter-Faith Food Shuttle and Bank to construct 100 garden boxes and upgrade their farm's irrigation system, expanding their capacity, and supporting Lowcountry Food Bank to assist limited-capacity agencies. DNTF also provided immediate relief to several food banks in the wake of Hurricane Helene. In Summer 2024, DNTF also committed $3 million to Nourish Up to help launch its “Hunger Hub” -- a new 90,000-square-foot facility located in the heart of Charlotte providing unprecedented resources to community members facing food and nutrition insecurity.
About The David & Nicole Tepper Foundation (DNTF):
Established in 2020, The David & Nicole Tepper Foundation invests capital and expertise to address the most pressing issues of our time through innovative, effective, and nimble solutions with a special focus on community-based projects. While the organization supports a number of initiatives, its core focus areas are food insecurity, basic needs, education, and disaster relief. As its founders and namesakes, David and Nicole Tepper remain fervently committed to addressing societal ails and inequities, both on a national and local scale.
