Nick and Terry Saban's charity donates over $600K to nonprofit groups

Tuscaloosa-area and statewide nonprofit organizations received a total of nearly $600,000 during the annual Nick's Kids Foundation luncheon Wednesday in the north zone at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Terry Saban, who is the CEO and co-founder of the Nicks' Kids Foundation, said the luncheon presents an opportunity to help a lot of worthy charities.

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"We work all year raising money, so that for this event, we can give it all away," Terry Saban said.

The Nick's Kids Foundation is the official charity of University of Alabama football coach Nick Saban and his wife, Terry. The foundation focuses on causes that benefit children, families, teachers and students.

The annual luncheon giveaway is held just before Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide football team being fall camp.

During the Wednesday event, guests ate lunch catered by Full Moon BBQ and had the opportunity to get autographs from current Alabama football players. Big Al, UA's elephant mascot, and University of Alabama cheerleaders were also on hand.

Nick and Terry Saban mingled in the crowd for meet-and-greets, photos and autographs.

Terry Saban said progress is being made on the Saban Discovery Center, an interactive learning hub that is expected to open in 2026.

"This season, we've been working hard on our new Discovery Center, which will be a state-of-the-art learning center for Tuscaloosa. And it will feature programming for all STEM subjects, science, technology, engineering and things that we really need for our young people to prepare them for the jobs that are out there," Terry Saban said.

The Saban Discovery Center will be built on the 9-acre site across from the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater in the former home of The Tuscaloosa News building, at the corner of Jack Warner Parkway and Nick's Kids Avenue, downtown Tuscaloosa.

Through the years, the Nick's Kids Foundation has donated nearly $12 million to the community, according to a news release. The foundation has completed multiple hands-on projects, including the building of 20 Habitat for Humanity homes. Other beneficiaries of the foundation include the Tuscaloosa All-Inclusive Playground and the welding and multipurpose facility at the Tuscaloosa County Juvenile Detention Center,

"This is obviously a Nick's Kids event which is ...our sort of way to give back to the community," Nick Saban said during the luncheon. "Miss Terry and her staff and the group of people who support Nick's Kids are doing a fantastic job of helping us help a lot young people have a better chance to have a better quality of life or a better chance to be successful in life. And also improve the quality of life for some of the people in the community who maybe aren't as fortunate."

Nick Saban said the foundation was started in honor of his late father, Nick Saban Sr. He said that he and his family were often encouraged by his mother to give back to the community and help kids if they were ever in a position to do so.

During this year's event, Cathy Wood, executive director of the Tuscaloosa County Juvenile Detention Center, was presented with a lifetime achievement award for her contributions to the community.

Wood said she was humbled to receive the recognition and gave a special tribute to her father, who Wood said made a great impact on her life.

"It's certainly a tribute to my father and his memory. He left a legacy of service and modeled it for me and I saw the joy of serving others. So I'm hoping others can see that in me and my team and what we try to do. And to be honored by the Sabans, who are the most giving people in the world, meant a lot to me," Wood said.

Reach Jasmine Hollie at JHollie@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Nonprofits receive more than $600K at annual Nick's Kids luncheon