CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- With a brand new school year underway after unprecedented challenges last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Belk honored local educators with an Educator Appreciation Day on Sunday, September 12th. As part of the event, the retailer presented a $25,000 donation to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) Foundation.

COVID-19 not only created a health pandemic, but it also brought to light the current needs of the local educational system. The $25,000 donation is part of Belk's Project Hometown, a community-strengthening initiative which supports charities and organizations in Charlotte. One of Project Hometown's primary focuses is to improve social and economic mobility for children in the Charlotte region through access to education and learning resources.

"Education is one of the main pillars of our outreach efforts at Belk, and supporting the CMS Foundation allows us to help strengthen the local community right here in our hometown of Charlotte," said Nir Patel, CEO at Belk. "We're thankful for everything educators do, and we are grateful we have the chance to celebrate them."

Seven stores in the Charlotte area hosted an in-store shopping event on September 12th as part of Belk's Educator Appreciation Day. Teachers, staff, and school administration were invited to local stores where they received a special coupon for in-store shopping. Each store also featured gift card giveaways of up to $500, as well as various other prizes for those educators in attendance.

"Belk is a tremendous supporter of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools," said Ashelyn James, CMS Foundation Manager. "We are thrilled to have such a strong community partner invested in the success of our students and educators, especially as we continue navigating change and uncertainty. We appreciate this Hometown Community Partner gift and Belk's ongoing commitment to supporting our public school system."

About Belk
Charlotte-based Belk, Inc., a privately-owned department store, opened its first store in 1888, beginning a legacy of selling great products at great prices, treating customers like family and giving back to the community. Today, Belk serves customers at nearly 300 Belk stores in 16 Southeastern states, at belk.com and through the mobile app. For over 130 years, Belk has proudly put customers and community at the center of what they do, supporting local charities, organizations and families when they need it most.
For more information visit https://newsroom.belk.com/.

To shop, find your local store at https://www.belk.com/stores/, visit belk.com or download the Belk app in Google Play or Apple Store.

SOURCE Belk, Inc.