North Charlotte Today

The David and Nicole Tepper Foundation has made a significant contribution to address food insecurity in Mecklenburg County. The owners of the Carolina Panthers and Charlotte FC, through their foundation, have donated $3 million to Nourish Up (formerly Loaves & Fishes/Friendship Trays), according to an announcement on Tuesday.

Nourish Up is a nonprofit organization dedicated to combating food insecurity in Charlotte-Mecklenburg for nearly 50 years. This donation is the largest in the organization's history. "We are honored that Nicole and Dave have chosen to invest and stand in support of the individuals and families we serve," said Tina Postel, CEO of Nourish Up. "At Nourish Up, we will continue to ensure that all of our neighbors have access to healthy food."

The funds will support Nourish Up's new Hunger Hub, a 90,000-square-foot facility set to open on June 21 in central Charlotte. The facility aims to provide extensive resources for those facing food and nutrition insecurity. Nicole Tepper emphasized the importance of addressing food insecurity: "(Food insecurity) has always been one of our key pillars for the foundation," she stated during a visit to the Hunger Hub facility. "It has been a problem nationally for a long time, and it's a big problem here in Charlotte."

Since 2018, The David and Nicole Tepper Foundation has distributed over $6.4 million to food banks and related agencies across the Carolinas. The new Hunger Hub is located in the Thomasboro-Hoskins neighborhood on Carrier Drive, enabling Nourish Up to effectively serve more individuals with enhanced resources.

With this new facility, Nourish Up plans to increase its capacity significantly, offering groceries and meals through both food pantries and home delivery services while continuing as Mecklenburg County's primary Meals on Wheels program. Tina Postel highlighted the impact of this donation: "Pardon the pun, but this is a game changer for us," she said. "We are seeing food insecurity needs at an all-time high, so a transformational gift like this will help us meet the growing demand."

In 2023 alone, Nourish Up provided groceries to 137,806 individuals compared to 106,000 individuals in 2022—a 30 percent increase. With expanded facilities funded by The David and Nicole Tepper Foundation's donation, Nourish Up will feature an onsite food pantry and a state-of-the-art teaching kitchen among other additions.

"They're trailblazers in this space," noted Nicole Tepper about Nourish Up’s efforts within the greater Charlotte community. "Watching them lead in this space has been incredibly rewarding and educational."

The David and Nicole Tepper Foundation focuses on addressing pressing societal issues through innovative solutions with an emphasis on community-based projects.

This donation forms part of Nourish Up's $23 million capital campaign aimed at launching the Hunger Hub.