Community

Team & Player Foundations and Charitable Affilitations

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In memory of team founder Art Rooney, the Steelers, with the help of others in the community, have established a memorial scholarship for a deserving student at three high schools -- Oliver, Perry and North Catholic -- located on the North Side where Mr. Rooney resided most of his adult life.

The primary fundraiser for the scholarship is the annual Gatorade/Steelers 5K Race, Fitness Walk and Kids' Kickoff Run, held each Labor Day Weekend.

 

Our goal is to provide low-income, underprivileged youth and their families with the purpose, desire, and resources to give their best efforts in all they do throughout their lives.

 

By developing after school programs, scholarships for students, restoring playgrounds, and offering sports and leisure activities, we show our commitment to the success of all our youth and their families. The encouragement and involvement of the community stimulates that success.

Project C.H.U.C.K is the largest Best of the Batch program. It's for boys and girls 7-18 years old. For 6 weeks, participants play a total of 20 basketball games, with the ultimate goal of advancing in the playoffs and to the championship game on Championship Day. In addition to providing children with something to do, it teaches them discipline, self-confidence, team orientation, and the fundamental skills of basketball, all while having a good time.

For more information visit the Best of the Batch Foundation.

 

With the foundation entering its third year of existence, Farrior has made the decision to refine the focus and broaden the overall business plan for the foundation.  As part of that same refinement, one modification is to re-set the overall goal so as to solely focus on underserved / at risk children and dedicate the work of the foundation to developing these same youth into healthy, productive contributors of society.

Secondarily, this goal will be achieved through the provision of more sustainable programs and initiatives targeted at providing opportunities, experiences, and resources dedicated to improving the health, character, and readiness skills to better prepare these children for success. 

 

These programs and initiatives will benefit the children and society through the development of new attitudes, interpersonal skills, knowledge, and the instillation of goals focus, which ultimately should result in positive behavior change, reduction in risk behavior, and improved performance in both the short and long term. 

 

For more information visit www.jamesfarriorfoundation.org.  

 

The James Harrison Family Foundation (JHFF) is a non-profit organization founded in November of 2010. Inspired by the tremendous outpouring of support from his fans and his love of children, James started this foundation so that he can make a difference in peoples' lives when they need it the most. James plans to harness all of his resources to grow The JHFF into an organization that truly helps children and families not only in emergency situations, but helps in ways that promote personal growth too.

 

The James Harrison Family Foundation’s mission is one of hope. James wants to spread hope through the promotion of this message that he has learned by living: NEVER GIVE UP! Don’t give up on yourself, and don’t give up on others. Whether this means providing comfort to children with terminal illnesses, children who have severe disabilities or families in crisis, everyone can use hope and a helping hand. That is what James Harrison and everyone at The James Harrison Family Foundation believe and aim to provide...hope and a helping hand.

For more information visit  www.jamesharrisonfamilyfoundation.org

Troy Polamalu - Harry Panos Fund

Mission Statement

Troy Polamalu and his wife, Theodora, created the Harry Panos Fund in honor of Theodora's grandfather, who was a World War II veteran. One of their interests is in helping younger veterans who have returned from service in Iraq , often with terrible injuries.

"When Troy went to Washington D.C. to receive accolades for the Super Bowl, he went to WalterReedHospital and met some of the wonderful young women veterans who had been severely injured by roadside bombs," said Theodora. "Troy came home and told me, and after that discussion, we both agreed that veterans would be a good place to start."

For more information visit The Pittsburgh Foundation



The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation

Mission Statement:

The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation seeks to (a) provide support for police and fire departments throughout the US with a particular emphasis on service dogs and (b) to enhance the quality of life for residents of Findlay, OH and Pittsburgh, PA.

In 2006, the newly formed Ben Roethlisberger Foundation distributed its first grant to help the Findlay Police Department replace their service dog, Flip, who was tragically shot and killed. The grant also purchased a K-9 ballistic vest. Many police departments do not have budgets that allow the purchase of protective vests.

In 2007 the foundation gave out grants to support or purchase service dogs and vests that assist police and fire departments. Grants were distributed in and around Pittsburgh, PA and in the cities and surrounding communities of each regular season away opponent for the Steelers in 2007.

Roethlisberger will fund the Findlay Youth Football Program for the second straight season, and along with his father Ken, is spearheading a community effort to build a youth football complex in Findlay. The cost estimate for this project is $700,000, which will be generously funded in part by Ben's foundation.

Roethlisberger has donated a holiday feast for the Pittsburgh Ronald McDonald House, and directed royalties from products like Big Ben Teddy Bears and Big Ben's BBQ Sauces to this organization. Big Ben's BBQ Sauces have also led school fundraisers throughout numerous Pittsburgh area school districts, highlighted by Ben appearing at school assemblies to meet the students.

Roethlisberger serves an Honorary Chair in Pittsburgh for the Alliance Against Highly Addictive Drugs, for which he's made multiple appearances to meet middle school and high school students and promote an anti-drug lifestyle. He is also an Honorary Chair for the American Library Association (ALA), appearing on school posters and speaking to elementary school children on the value of reading.

For more information visit The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation.




Hines Ward Helping Hands Foundation

Mission Statement

Hines Ward established the Hines Ward Helping Hands Korea Foundation, starting it off with a $1 million donation of his own and then raising another $1.5 million through corporate donations.

The foundation was set up by Ward to help biracial kids in Korea who face discrimination because they are of mixed backgrounds in a country that is not accepting of the youth. It will be independently operated from Pearl S. Buck International, a non-profit organization assisting biracial children. Ward himself is biracial, the offspring of a Korean mother and African American father, and understands the discrimination that similar kids face in Korea. Ward started the foundation as a tribute to his mother, Kim Young-He, who raised him as a single parent.

Ward plans on bringing kids in this situation to Pittsburgh once a year for a weekend to visit with him and attend a Steelers game.

A broader goal of the HHKF, however, is to end biracial discrimination inKorea and abroad. Having been a victim of biracial discrimination himself, Hines seeks to provide hope and dream fulfillment to all biracial children through his HHKF and is considered by many in the international arena to be South Korea's "Ambassador for Children" everywhere.

The Helping Hands Foundation in Pittsburgh was established to provide programs and services to the Pittsburgh's inner city and underprivileged youth. Through his foundation, Ward would like to provide opportunities to these children in the areas of literacy and basic education so that they will be equipped with the tools and resources necessary to achieve success in life.

Ward also hosts the Hoge/Starks/Ward golf outing to benefit the HIghmark Caring Place, with teammate Max Starks and former Steelers running back Merril Hoge. Proceeds benefit families in western Pennsylvania by raising funds to provide free healthcare benefits for children and adults and free grief support services for children, adolescents and their families who are struggling with the death of a parent or sibling. He is also involved in the annual Caring Team luncheon, which honors area schools that raise money for the cause.

For more information visit The Pittsburgh Foundation.


Steelers Rookie Club

The Rookie Club enables the players to work as a group in order to gain confidence in their ability to interact with the community as Pittsburgh Steelers. It is a introduction to community service and provides on-going development during the player's first year with the team as well as providing a sense of camaraderie.