Walmart donates $30K to CMS school

CHARLOTTE — Walmart presented a $30,000 check Tuesday to a Charlotte-Mecklenburg school.

A nonprofit has been mentoring, feeding and tutoring students at Reid Park Academy.

Donnell Gardner, of Team Trublue, grew up in west Charlotte, which is not far from the school.

He said he knows the financial challenges some students at the Title 1 school face.

"A lot of these kids in this situation don't have hope,” Gardner said. “When you don't have hope, you don't have drive."

He’s been there for students who have no place to call home after they leave school.

"We have to go to these hotels. They call them trap hotels. We have to see a young man babysitting his sister until his mom gets back. It's devastating,” Gardner said.

The donation from Walmart is to help students get the support they need to excel in the classroom.

Walmart’s corporate office learned that two employees from a local store were working with Team Trublue to help kids at the school.

School leaders plan to sit down soon with their community partners and decide exactly how to spend the $30,000.

Local nonprofit surprises children in Charlotte with Christmas morning gifts Local nonprofit surprises children in Charlotte with Christmas morning gifts

Read more top trending stories on wsoctv.com:

• Autopsy results to be released for slain 6-year-old SC girl, dead neighbor
• Sources: Suspected bank robber in custody after police swarm SUV on I-85 ramp
• TV remake of iconic ’80s movie to film at North Carolina beach
• FORECAST: Misty drizzle early before heavier downpours arrive by afternoon
• NASCAR driver Ryan Newman in ‘serious, non-life-threatening’ condition after wreck at Daytona 500

© 2020 Cox Media Group