CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Recently, a big part of Lawrence Toppman's work is behind the wheel.
“When I tried to carry it on my shoulders, it never worked,” he joked.
His big sense of humor matches his big heart and his love for helping others.
“Long ago, I had some food insecurity when I was younger. I realized at the time if you don't have food, you can't do your job and you can't do schoolwork,” Toppman told WCNC Charlotte's Nick Sturdivant.
For the past couple of years, Toppman has been working to make sure this isn’t the case for people in need throughout the Charlotte area.
As a volunteer with Feeding Charlotte, Toppman makes weekly food drop-offs, delivering freshly prepared food.
“Normally I go out on Mondays and Thursdays ]and] load up my car," Toppman said. "I drive it where it's going. I call ahead and say, 'I have these many trays.'"
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Feeding Charlotte partners with businesses and organizations to claim their leftover fresh meals. Volunteers then deliver the meals to other local nonprofits that feed people in need.
For example, Champion House of Care in Charlotte gets enough meals to feed kids from nearly 250 families. Feeding Charlotte collects the food from the restaurant Table & Twine each week and drops it off at Champion House of Care.
“Food is the cornerstone of everybody's life. Without it, you can’t move ahead,” Toppman stated.
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His drive to help those less fortunate is what keeps him coming back every week.
“I took my first run and I never looked back because it's just a joy to me. I ride around blasting music in my car,” Toppman said, smiling.
WCNC Charlotte is committed to reporting on the many issues facing the communities we serve. We tell the stories of people working to solve persistent social problems. We examine how problems can be solved or addressed to improve the quality of life and make a positive difference. WCNC Charlotte is seeking solutions for you. Send your tips or questions to newstips@wcnc.com.
Contact Nick Sturdivant at nsturdiva1@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.