Panthers’ David & Nicole Tepper pledge Hurricane Helene relief donation for Carolinas
The foundation headed by the owners of the Carolina Panthers and Charlotte FC has committed to an initial donation to provide relief for those impacted by Hurricane Helene in North and South Carolina.
Saturday, the David and Nicole Tepper Foundation, along with the Teppers’ two local sports organizations, announced an initial pledge of $3 million to provide immediate assistance to those impacted by the deadly storm that swept through the Carolinas on Thursday and Friday.
“The David & Nicole Tepper Foundation, Carolina Panthers, and Charlotte FC stand alongside all those who have been affected by Hurricane Helene and the devastation it has wrought across the southeast, and particularly in our backyard throughout the Carolinas,” David and Nicole Tepper said in a news release.
“This is our home and we are committed to supporting relief efforts throughout the region by providing critical resources and aiding the efforts of our heroic first responders. The impact on our community has been severe, but Carolinians are resilient and courageous, and together, we will rebuild and recover.”
According to the release, the foundation will “assist a number of food banks and pantries, local community foundations, and other service providing agencies in the Carolinas.”
Hurricane Helene inflicted massive damage across North Carolina and South Carolina on Friday.
More than 700,000 North Carolina residents were without power as of Saturday, according to the governor’s office. And according to North Carolina Department of Transportation, nearly 400 roads were shut down in the area.
Communication in the area has also been severely impacted due to widespread network outages. Flooding has also been a major issue in several areas of the state, with 29 counties and 52 towns issuing State of Emergency calls.
Gov. Roy Cooper, who has issued a statewide State of Emergency, said Friday morning that hurricane caused two deaths in the state. More than 200 residents have been rescued from flood waters in the state, Cooper’s office reported in a news release Saturday.
According to the governor’s office, sixteen shelters housed approximately 1,100 residents Friday night.
“This is a historic and catastrophic storm for Western North Carolina and I’m grateful to first responders working right now to save lives and evacuate residents,” Cooper said in a statement. “Efforts are also underway to get power and communications restored, and we’re bringing in needed supplies by air.”
In South Carolina, at least 23 deaths have been attributed to Helene. More than 1 million residents were without power in the aftermath of the storm Friday, according to The State.
This story was originally published September 28, 2024 at 2:00 PM with the headline "Panthers’ David & Nicole Tepper pledge Hurricane Helene relief donation for Carolinas."
