Carolina Panthers

Cam Newton will dish up Thanksgiving meals to 1,300 underprivileged children

Cam Newton will quarterback the serving of Thanksgiving meals to 1,300 underprivileged Charlotte area children on Monday.

The Carolina Panthers QB will host his foundation’s eighth annual “Cam’s Thanksgiving Jam” with some of his family members and about 80 volunteers from Harris Teeter and JPMorgan Chase.

“Looking forward to our BIGGEST Thanksgiving Jam yet,” Newton tweeted Thursday.

Children in Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina’s Kids Café Program are served traditional Thanksgiving meals at the private event at a site in Charlotte. Some of the children’s family members may also receive meals, and all guests get a second full Thanksgiving meal to make at home, according to the Cam Newton Foundation.

Kids Café operates 40 sites in the Charlotte region where children in need receive free daily meals, snacks and nutrition education year-round.

In this 2018 Charlotte Observer file photo, Cam Newton serves up some mac and cheese to a young guest at the 7th annual Cam’s Thanksgiving Jam.
In this 2018 Charlotte Observer file photo, Cam Newton serves up some mac and cheese to a young guest at the 7th annual Cam’s Thanksgiving Jam. John D. Simmons jsimmons@charlotteobserver.com

Panthers mascot Sir Purr will hob-nob with the children, who also get to play golf and other games, dance to a DJ, have their faces painted and take balloons home.

The popular player has faced a tough time on the field this year. On Nov. 5, the Panthers placed Newton on injured reserve, ending his injury-wracked season.

This story was originally published November 21, 2019 at 2:18 PM with the headline "Cam Newton will dish up Thanksgiving meals to 1,300 underprivileged children."

Joe Marusak
The Charlotte Observer
Joe Marusak has been a reporter for The Charlotte Observer since 1989 covering the people, municipalities and major news events of the region, and was a news bureau editor for the paper. He currently reports on breaking news. Support my work with a digital subscription
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