Panthers new owner helps launch school supply distribution for 12,000 students

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By Kristin Leigh

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The new owner of the Carolina Panthers is ready to help Charlotte-area students in a big way.

On Monday, the team announced that the David Tepper Charitable Foundation is partnering with the John M. Belk Endowment, Carolina Panthers players and Classroom Central to provide over 12,000 backpacks with school supplies to resource-challenged students in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.

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The distribution will serve 17 elementary schools in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, as well as an additional school in Kannapolis City Schools.

Tepper attended a distribution kick-off at Thomasboro Academy Tuesday morning.

"Just like our football players need equipment,” Tepper told the school. “You guys need equipment."

No one knows the need better than Thomasboro Academy Principal Janette McIver.

“Who doesn't want something like this at their school?” McIver said.

McIver said every student at Thomasboro Academy receives free lunch and breakfast, due to their family's financial need. The principal said 60 to 85 of her 650 students are homeless.

“Some of these kids are coming from families of six, seven, eight kids in one house,” she said. “For them to have their own backpacks, their own school supplies, that's a huge deal.”

Additional school distributions will continue through Sept. 4.

The program is funded through a joint partnership between the David Tepper Charitable Foundation and the John M. Belk Endowment with additional contributions from the Thomas Davis Defending Dreams Foundation, Cam Newton Foundation, the Torrey Smith Family Fund and Panthers players Graham Gano and JJ Jansen.

Classroom Central is coordinating the multi-school distribution.

“Ensuring that students have the basic resources they need for the classroom is critical for their confidence, development and success,” Tepper stated in a press release. “I am proud to team up with our community partners and Panthers players for this important effort.”

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