With the relationship between police and the public more important than ever, Kuechly represented the player committee and had plenty of company to help him deliver funds to a pair of organizations focused on those relationships.

Christian McCaffrey, Shaq Thompson and Chris Hogan joined Kuechly in presenting $5,000 checks to both Bears Behind the Badge and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Foundation.

"Blown away. Absolutely blown away," CMPD officer Chad Webster said. "We couldn't appreciate it any more."

While the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Foundation has worked the past 15 years to provide funding in support of the police force, Bears Behind the Badge is a relative newcomer that is working to help those new to this world. Webster, also a published author of a children's book, reads to elementary school kids while trying to ease the fear that young children sometimes feel around police.

Chrissy Elder, the wife of a former CMPD officer, wanted to do something about that uneasiness so she started a program that bonded the groups by putting stuffed animals in the hands of police officers to deliver to elementary school students. With Webster onboard, the program now also includes reading, with him and other officers getting in front of every classroom in the six elementary schools in their district each school year.

Webster said the Panthers' donation would allow the organization to switch from donated stuffed animals to new bears that will, well, bear the organization's name.