2026 Spring Cancer Support Health and Wellness Classes
Since 2020, we’ve been committed to helping cancer patients access healthy, nutritious meals. Once again, we’re expanding our support by offering three free Spring Cancer Support Health & Wellness Classes.
Designed for individuals diagnosed with cancer and their caregivers, these sessions are open to everyone and provide practical guidance on healthy cooking, nutrition, and overall wellness.
2025 Holiday Sweets for Kids (HS4K)
This holiday season, we’re on a mission to bring joy, dignity, and sweetness to children without stable housing in Charlotte. Our goal is to provide 500 Gingerbread House Gift Boxes filled with treats, grocery store gift cards, and holiday cheer — and we need your help to make it happen!
Thank you again for supporting our 2025 Fall Cancer Support and Wellness Series
2025 Cancer Support Auction
This year, we will hold our 5th Annual Cancer Support Auction in 2025. Last year, we awarded ten cancer patients and survivors with $250 each. This year, we aim to double the awards to $500 each. We are all under tremendous stress, our worlds have turned upside down, and while many of us are struggling with high costs and daily uncertainties, I hope you can find it in your heart to help us support others battling cancer amidst these challenges!
Special Thanks to our Corporate Donors!!
2025 Cooking For A Cause
Cook with us virtually or in person in Charlotte, NC on September 13th at 12 PM as we team up with Chef Dennis to raise funds for cancer patients and survivors. Whether you want to cook along or just watch, Chef Dennis will teach how to make homemade pasta, a simple sauce, and tiramisu to create a delicious meal. This event will also mark the end of our 2025 Cancer Support Auction, aimed at helping cancer patients and survivors access healthy food.
Happy Black Philanthropy Month (BPM)
🖤 Join Us for #Give828 — #CLTGivesBlack
On August 28, 2025, we’re proud to participate in Give 8/28, nationally recognized as a day of giving to support Black-led and Black-benefiting organizations. Locally, it’s known as CLT Gives Black, and it’s more than just a fundraiser—it’s a movement rooted in history, resilience, and community empowerment.
Give 8/28 takes place during Black Philanthropy Month, honoring pivotal moments in Black history, including:
- 🏆 1945: Jackie Robinson’s historic meeting to integrate Major League Baseball
- 🌪️ 2005: Hurricane Katrina’s devastating impact on Black communities
- 🎬 2020: The passing of Chadwick Boseman, a symbol of Black excellence
- 🙌 2025: YOU joining the national call to action for Black self-empowerment through philanthropy!
Explore more about August 28
This year, we face urgent challenges—from economic disparities to health inequities—that disproportionately affect Black communities. That’s why we’re raising $5,000 to expand our Cancer Support Program, which provides healthy food and wellness resources to cancer patients, survivors and their caregivers.
🎯 Why It Matters in 2025
Last year, we helped 10 recipients access nutritious meals. This spring, we hosted free health and wellness classes—and we’re gearing up to do it again this fall. Your support helps us double our impact.
Supporting our #Give828 campaign is easy and powerful:
💡 How to Support
- Help us kick off our 5th Annual Cancer Support Auction
- Purchase your tickets for our 2025 Cooking For A Cause Event
- Share your support on social media and tag us:
- Facebook: @RICsMarket
- Instagram: @r.i.c.s_market
- LinkedIn: @roots-in-the-community-market-foundation
- TikTok: @ricsmarket
Together, we’re building a healthier, more equitable future—one gift at a time. #Give828 #CLTGivesBlack
We are pleased to announce our 2025 Black Philanthropist
As Black Philanthropy Month draws to a close, we’re proud to introduce our 2025 Black Philanthropist: Grant Gibson.
From a young age, Grant’s spirit of service stood out—especially when he volunteered at an event supporting children without stable housing, a moment that helped inspire our now-cherished Holiday Sweets for Kids program. As our youngest honoree to date, Grant exemplifies a powerful truth: Black philanthropy is not just about financial giving—it’s about showing up with time, talent, and heart.
We’re thrilled to celebrate Grant as a living example of the Greek root of philanthropy, meaning “loving people.” His story reminds us that regardless of age, we all have love to give—and ways to make a difference.
As we continue our mission to end food insecurity, we invite you to reflect on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s timeless words:
“The time is always right to do what is right.”
Please take a moment to watch my interview with Grant, where he shares his insights on Black Philanthropy and what it means to give boldly and compassionately.
2025 Spring Cancer Support Health & Wellness Classes
We Did It Again 2024
We did it again! Together, we delivered 500 gift boxes, 130 snack bags, and a variety of snacks and treats to children without stable housing and families affected by Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina. This was made possible by the unwavering support of our corporate partners—Amos Sweets, Nourish Up, Publix, Christian Faith MBC, and Share Charlotte—as well as our nonprofit partners Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools (CMS), Communities In Schools (CIS) & Sol Nation, generous individual donors, and dedicated volunteers. Thank you for your continued support and commitment to making a difference!
2024 Cancer Support Auction
Thank You for Helping Us Support Cancer Patients and Survivors!
We are thrilled to announce that we are just $121 away from reaching our goal of raising $2500! Your contributions have been incredibly generous, and we are so grateful for your support.
If you missed the auction but still have your eye on an item, please email me directly. And remember, it’s never too late to make a donation!
Stay tuned for more updates on the impact of your donations and exciting information about our free Cancer Support Health and Wellness classes launching in early 2025.
Thanks for supporting us during Black Philanthropy Month
In August, we celebrated Black Philanthropy Month and were part of something truly remarkable. Nationally, over $215K was raised for Give 8/28, while locally in Charlotte Gives Black, over $18K was raised. Throughout the month, we were able to raise over $3300 in cash, in-kind donations, and matching funds!
2024 Charlotte Gives Black
On August 28, 2024, Charlotte Gives Black as part of #Give828, a national day of giving dedicated to uplifting Black-led and Black-benefitting organizations. This unique fundraising campaign coincides with Black Philanthropy Month and commemorates significant historical events in the journey toward freedom for Black Americans.
Black Philanthropy Month (BPM) is a global celebration and concerted campaign to elevate African-descent giving and funding equity. Incubated starting in 2001 by its Founder Dr. Jackie Bouvier Copeland, with the support of Reunity, formerly the Pan-African Women’s Philanthropy Network, BPM launched in 2011 with its first official global summit to commemorate the United Nations Year and Decade of People of African Descent. BPM is now the world’s only global Diasporan community coalition and movement to celebrate and empower Black funding in all its forms, from philanthropy to venture and business investment. We acknowledge and honor the participation of all current, past, and future BPM leaders and our sponsors and advisors, making equity real for our communities today and for generations to come. August 28th is a national day of giving to Black Led/Black Benefitting Organizations as known in Charlotte, NC as Charlotte Gives Black. https://www.blackphilanthropymonth.com/about
2024 Charlotte Ideas Festival
But wait, there’s more… Prime Day 2024 is July 16-17 which means you can take advantage of great deals while supporting your favorite non-profit!
The Big Idea Fair Results
It was such an honor to be selected to present at the Big Idea Festival and even though we didn’t walk away with the most votes and the grand prize, we got to share our idea of how to make Charlotte a better place and $250 that will go toward meeting our mission.
I want to thank those of you who were able to show up in person and those that couldn’t but wanted to be, your thoughts and well wishes were felt!! And a special thanks to The Charlotte Center for the Humanities & Civic Imagination for hosting this event.
What’s the Big Idea? — The Charlotte Center
Happy Nutrition Month!!
What do a Lamborghini, Christian Louboutin & Tiffany & Co have in common with fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats & seafood? For too many, all of the aforementioned are out of reach.
Should the latter really be luxury items?
Roots In the Community Market Foundation is looking to find solutions to ensure that everyone has access to fresh healthy affordable food by funding food subsidies for healthy food, scholarships and community outreach such as afterschool cooking classes. Being healthy is more than just eating right; food alone is not enough to make a community healthy however it can bring a community together the way the market square did for centuries. R.I.C.’s seeks to be the community connector for low income areas to businesses, healthcare, higher education, government programs and other not-for profit organizations.