RALEIGH, N.C. - Amy Daniels, Executive Director of the Carolina Hurricanes Foundation, today announced that the team is providing 150,000 meals through a $50,000 grant to the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina’s Stop Summer Hunger initiative, as part of the Hurricanes’ special playoff grant initiative. The effort provides healthy meals and snacks for local families with children during the summer months when school breakfast and lunch aren’t available. The Carolina Hurricanes Foundation has presented a donation to a deserving nonprofit during each round of the 2026 NHL playoffs that the Hurricanes have reached, bringing their total playoff donation amount to $200,000.
“Summer should be a time for children to learn, play, and grow — not worry about where their next meal will come from,” said Daniels. “We are proud to support the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina to provide more than 150,000 meals to local children and families, helping ensure kids have the nourishment they need to stay healthy and thrive while school is out and beyond.”
Research from the USDA shows that more than 168,000 school-age children and teens are food insecure across Central and Eastern North Carolina — and the situation has only worsened with ongoing economic disruption over the past year. Many parents and caregivers have to come up with 10 or more additional meals per week, per child when school is out, making the summer months among the most challenging times of year to keep food on the table.
In response, the Food Bank network hosts dozens of no-cost meal sites to help close the gap. Local community centers, churches, and summer camps offer free meals, snacks, and to-go options to kids and teens — alongside outdoor recreation and reading initiatives. The effort augments existing resources offered through 700+ network pantries and food distribution sites that are also open to families with school-age children.
“Summer is one of the hardest times of year for families facing hunger. When school is out, parents must find a way to provide many more meals for children each week — at a time when the cost of food and fuel is already stretching household budgets to the breaking point,” said Amy Beros, Food Bank President & CEO. "This generous gift comes at a critical moment, fueling more than 150,000 meals in communities that need it most this summer. We're deeply grateful to the Hurricanes, the Foundation, and Canes fans everywhere for standing with us and reminding our neighbors they're not alone.”
For every $1 donated, the Food Bank can source enough food to fuel 3 meals — far more than any of us could purchase as an individual consumer. And with all donations matched through July 31, every dollar translates to 6 meals! For more information, please visit https://foodbankcenc.org/ or StopSummerHunger.org.
About the Carolina Hurricanes Foundation
As the charitable arm of the Carolina Hurricanes, the Foundation takes pride in being a part of the community both on and off the ice. The Foundation strives to be an agent of change by meeting the health and educational needs of underserved populations in the community where we work, live, and play. Since the Foundation's inception in 1997, more than $17 million has been donated in grants and in-kind support to youth-serving organizations. For more information on the Foundation, please click here or contact Amy Daniels at [email protected].
