Carolina Panthers Help Provide School Supply “Boost” for CMS

CHARLOTTE, N.C. –  Panthers Charities are teaming up with the Tepper Foundation and the Belk Endowment to provide a mid-year school supply “boost” for 800 classrooms in CMS.

Team owner David Tepper unveiled a $120,000 donation to Classroom Central on Tuesday. The money will provide school supplies for students in 19 CMS Title I elementary schools.

“With great power, comes great responsibility.. this is a great platform the Carolina Panthers, to do a lot of good things,” Tepper said.

Tepper says he knows what teachers go through, often spending their own money to fill classroom needs. His mom was a teacher at an inner-city school in Pittsburgh.

“She taught in a project school, so it was necessary and you know there weren’t enough supplies,” Tepper said.

Right now both Carolinas are losing teachers, often because of low pay.

Winterfield Elementary teacher Nikia Cockerham says the school supply donation comes at just the right time.

“By mid-year, a lot of the supplies are used.. and they are in need of new supplies to finish out the second half of the year,” Cockerham says.

Tepper says he considers the Panthers the team of the Carolinas, and he plans to make similar donations in other cities.