North Charlotte Today

The David & Nicole Tepper Foundation has announced donations exceeding $1.5 million to food banks across North and South Carolina for 2025. This represents a 15 percent increase in their annual contributions, excluding additional support for special projects throughout the year. The foundation has made food insecurity a central focus of its philanthropic efforts since David and Nicole Tepper acquired the Carolina Panthers in 2018. Over the past year, the foundation donated more than $2.8 million to food banks, demonstrating its ongoing commitment to addressing 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."

The donations have been distributed among several organizations: 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!"

Beyond these annual gifts, The David & Nicole Tepper Foundation maintains ongoing communication with food banks across the Carolinas to offer additional support as new needs arise throughout the year. In 2024, they collaborated with Inter-Faith Food Shuttle and Bank on projects such as constructing garden boxes and upgrading irrigation systems while also assisting Lowcountry Food Bank's limited-capacity agencies. They provided immediate relief following Hurricane Helene's impact on several food banks.

Additionally, in Summer 2024, DNTF committed $3 million towards Nourish Up's "Hunger Hub" initiative—a new facility located in Charlotte aimed at providing resources for community members facing food insecurity.

The David & Nicole Tepper Foundation was established in 2020 with a mission focused on innovative solutions addressing pressing issues like food insecurity along with basic needs education disaster relief among others underpinned by community-based projects led by founders' commitment toward societal improvement both nationally locally.