Ginter Foundation Honors Legacy of Support for Immigrant Causes 

Born in Poland and Germany respectively, Karl and Anna Ginter immigrated to the United States in 1927 and settled in Charlotte.

They became a successful team, eventually leading the Industrial Dyeing Corporation of North Carolina, with Karl acting as president and Anna as vice president. During their lifetime, the Ginters actively gave back to their community, creating a charitable trust to support nonprofits in the Charlotte area. They initially focused their giving on educational institutions, hospitals and scientific research. Over time, these interests expanded to include aiding orphaned children and helping immigrants get started in their new communities.

The Ginters had no children of their own, so the trust’s assets grew substantially upon their deaths, allowing them to support an even larger number of charities. The trustees recognized the value of partnering with FFTC for grantmaking and foundation administration expertise, and established The Ginter Foundation, first as a subsidiary foundation and later as a field of interest fund.

During this transition, the trustees articulated their goal of making a more substantial difference in the community while aligning more closely with Karl Ginter’s interests before his death: helping immigrants and students in our region.

The FFTC staff helped them narrow their grantmaking focus, prioritizing support of programs for vulnerable immigrant populations. Among many other grants, since 2006 the foundation has awarded approximately $340,000 to the Ginter Immigration Law Center at International House, and more than $200,000 to Queens University of Charlotte to create the Karl and Anna Ginter Fellowship for immigrant and first generation students.