The showcase, as part of MLS All-Star Week in Charlotte, celebrates organizations for the positive change they are making in their local communities.
Since 2023, RBC Wealth Management–U.S. has been the presenting sponsor of the MLS All-Star Hometown Heroes Showcase, an initiative with Major League Soccer (MLS), Black Players for Change (BPC) and the host club of that season’s MLS All-Star Game. The showcase exists to spotlight the nonprofits and leaders strengthening their communities year after year—and to give their work the recognition it deserves.
This year, during MLS All-Star week in Charlotte, N.C., four local nonprofits were each honored with a $15,000 grant from RBC Wealth Management. Host club Charlotte FC joined in celebrating their impact on helping expand access to nutritious meals, equipping students and teachers for classroom success, fostering wellness and confidence and delivering essential items to meet basic needs. In addition, the David & Nicole Tepper Foundation will match the $15,000 grants awarded to each of the four 2026 Hometown Heroes organizations, contributing an additional $60,000 in support of community impact initiatives across the Carolinas.
“These four deserving organizations embody the kind of community leadership we’re committed to helping foster as part of RBC Wealth Management’s presence in the Carolinas,” says Russell Mansfield, director of RBC Wealth Management’s Charlotte branch. “These grants represent our belief that thriving communities start with organizations who address real needs.”
Anderson Outreach creates belonging, dignity and opportunity for youth who too often grow up without consistent support. The organization helps equity-impacted youth in and out of government care across North Carolina, supporting young adults shaped by emotional, environmental and psychological trauma—including those in rural communities who face the challenges of living apart from family, navigating mental health diagnoses and managing developmental delays. In its first year, Anderson Outreach served more than 200 youth, distributed over 160 backpacks for students heading back to school and provided more than 300 meals through summer initiatives.
“We stand in the gap for youth who have trauma and try to recreate experiences we would want for our own kids,” says Alesia Fleming, board chair of Anderson Outreach. “Being selected as a 2026 MLS Hometown Hero has been a magical moment that I will never forget. I am honored to be a beneficiary of your commitment and strategic investment in the Charlotte community. This award represents the true power of collaborative giving. I am humbled to stand alongside recipients past and present who are intentional about doing the work that has the ability to heal the world.”
Born from a deep passion for community and a bold vision for a brighter future, The Two-Six Project connects young entrepreneurs, creatives and athletes with youth from marginalized backgrounds across the Southeast.
The organization’s programs help under-resourced high school student athletes develop leadership skills, prepare for college and explore career opportunities. Through grassroots programming and corporate partnerships, The Two-Six Project has grown into a vital resource for underserved youth across the region.
“Community service is a big pillar of ours to make sure we are giving back to the community we immerse ourselves in—and a lot of times high school students don’t have that experience and need someone to show them what it actually means to serve others, give back and truly engage with the community you want to be a part of,” says Janae Aiken, director of the The Two-Six Project’s Emerging Leaders Program. “As a 2026 MLS Hometown Hero, former collegiate soccer player, and current soccer coach, it is a blessing to be recognized because soccer is a sport that changed my life. The love that I have for the game and the love the game has for me has taught me structure, discipline, and the importance of community. The Two-Six Project is passionate about helping high school student athletes in the Emerging Leaders Program find their path, exposing them to opportunities and providing access to environments using sports as a vehicle to get there.”
Read to Succeed is committed to closing the literacy and opportunity gap across Western North Carolina through early childhood and kindergarten-readiness programming, one-to-one and small-group tutoring for K-5 students and community-powered literacy programming with families and local partners. Between July and Dec. 2025, Read to Succeed engaged more than 2,000 community members through events, launched tutoring services in five elementary schools with 21 trained volunteer tutors supporting 37 K-5 students and saw 40- to 47-percentage-point improvements in early literacy indicators for rising kindergarten and first-grade students.
“So often, especially for the Black and Brown students we work with, they are given an identity before they get to discover that for themselves. So, to be able to say, ‘No door is closed to you. How do you define success?’—that’s why we do what we do, because you can only get there through access to language and reading,” says Ashley Allen, co-executive director of Read to Succeed Asheville/Buncombe. “On a personal level, being recognized as a Hometown Hero is an incredible honor. I’ve got an amazing team and wonderful community support and still—showing up every day to do difficult work within the landscape of education in North Carolina and post-Helene recovery—it’s daunting. This recognition has been a beautiful reminder that the work I do is being seen. And more than that, having a grassroots, Black- and female-led nonprofit that fights for the importance of BIPOC students’ education being recognized at this level sends a message to these students that they matter at a national scale.”
For 15 years, the Charlotte ToolBank has served Charlotte-area nonprofits and community organizations by renting tools and special-event equipment at a fraction of what it would cost to purchase or store them. The organization has partnered with over 1,300 nonprofits, saving them more than $18 million and countless hours that extend their reach and drive their missions.
The Charlotte ToolBank has been a cornerstone of the region’s charitable ecosystem during disaster response, including Hurricane Helene and the COVID-19 pandemic, helping Charlotte become a beacon of hope during times of crisis.
“We want to be that thought partner, that project manager, to help an organization with everything they need—especially when they’re in crisis,” says Maureen Krueger, executive director of Charlotte ToolBank. “I’m deeply honored and truly humbled to be named one of the four Hometown Heroes. To stand alongside such inspiring leaders is both meaningful and energizing. I’m especially grateful for the spotlight this recognition brings, not to me, but to the vital work nonprofit leaders and organizations carry out every day, creating real impact in our communities. It’s an exciting moment, and one I hope helps amplify the importance of our work.”
Along with the four nonprofits, Dr. Victor Kidd is being recognized posthumously as this year’s Honorary Hero, an accolade given to an individual who has not only made a positive impact on the lives of those around them but has also worked extensively to progress the sport of soccer in their community.
Dr. Kidd was a trusted collaborator and advocate for MLS, partnering with the league on numerous initiatives, designing training programs and helping to cocreate Playing as One, MLS’s flagship program dedicated to combating discrimination on and off the pitch.
As a licensed psychotherapist, he supported countless individuals and athletes with compassion, wisdom and integrity, while championing greater access to culturally competent and affirming mental health care.
Photo: Left to right: Maureen Krueger (Charlotte ToolBank), Alesia Fleming (Anderson Outreach), Brant Bronico (Charlotte FC Player Ambassador), Ashley Allen (Read to Succeed), Janae Aiken (Two-Six Project). Photo courtesy of MLS.
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