Our Story
A Legacy of Service to Galveston
The Ippolito Charitable Foundation is focused on benefitting the residents of Galveston and Galveston County, thanks to the charitable legacy of Carlos Ippolito.
Carlos “Ippy” Ippolito
Born in Beaumont, Texas in 1923, Carlos Ippolito, or “Ippy” as he was commonly known and later “Big Ippy,” lived the majority of his life in Galveston and was a prominent member of the community. At the age of 19, he joined the United States Army and was eventually promoted to the rank of Captain. He earned numerous medals, including several Bronze Stars, the Purple Heart Medal and the prestigious French “diplome” awarded by the Republic of France for his participation in several important battles throughout the European and African Middle East Campaigns, including the liberation of Normandy.
Building a Business in Galveston
After his service in World War II, Ippy returned to Galveston to work at the family business, the Galveston Dr. Pepper - 7 Up Bottling Company. In 1963, at the age of 39, Ippy assumed ownership of the business. Under his leadership, the business thrived and expanded its service area to include much of South Texas, while the company’s fleet grew to thirty trucks. With the help of his wife, Dorothy “Dotsy” Thigpen Ippolito, and his son, he built a highly successful multimillion-dollar business. He sold the company in 1993 and retired.
Giving Back to the Community
Ippy believed in giving back to the community that treated his family and his business so well over the years. He served on various community and nonprofit boards until his death, including the Board of Directors for Moody National Bank for twenty-two years, the Moody Endowment Board of Directors, the Shearn Moody Plaza Board of Directors, the Board of Directors of the Transitional Learning Center, and the Colonel Museum as President, among many other organizations. He was a member of several local fraternal organizations and supported several local churches during his lifetime.
The Foundation
Carlos Ippolito founded the Ippolito Charitable Foundation of Galveston in 2000 to continue his legacy of community service to the town he loved. Following his death in 2012, Ippy’s family members continued giving back to Galveston and the state of Texas through their involvement with the Foundation. His son, John Ippolito, is Trustee Emeritus. His granddaughters Lee Jurewitz and Pepper Ammann serve as Foundation officers and trustees, and his daughter, Crys Ippolito, serves on the Board of Directors.
Continuing the Legacy
The Ippolito family has focused on helping nonprofit organizations better serve the Galveston community through the Foundation’s grant program, participation in capital campaigns and collaborative projects with other local foundations. In recent years, the Foundation has broadened its community impact through project-related investments and other grant opportunities, as well as participation in collaborative organizations such as VISION Galveston and the Galveston County Recovery Fund. The Ippolito Charitable Foundation of Galveston remains focused on projects and programs that serve Galveston and its residents.
