During a time when it's about giving and not receiving, the Steelers are doing just that, spreading joy and kindness to many in the community.

The Steelers hosted the seventh annual Huddle for the Holidays at Acrisure Stadium, an evening filled with outreach for many community organizations in the Western Pennsylvania area. (More on Huddle for the Holidays).

That was just the start of it.

Steelers players also did their part, hosting their own events to give of their time and hearts to others.

Coach Mike Tomlin hosted his annual holiday food distribution in conjunction with the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, giving back to those most in need during the holidays. He was joined by defensive tackle Cameron Heyward and Sports Science Coordinator/Strength and Conditioning Coach Roderick Moore, as they handed out turkeys and all the trimmings and visited with everyone.

Safety DeShon Elliott might be on the Reserve/Injured List, but that isn't keeping him from lifting people's spirits this holiday season.

Elliott spent time visiting with patients at the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, offering them encouragement and support as they go through their treatment, and delivering gifts to them.

"I have a few personal reasons for wanting to do this," said Elliott. "I've had some family members who've been through the process of cancer and how hard that can be on people. It's the holidays and people need genuine love from somebody. It can be hard. They might feel like they're battling this by themselves, but they're not. They have people that are pulling for them and want the best for them.

"Sometimes that holiday cheer really just makes somebody's day when they need it the most."

Giving his time to the patients is one of the most genuine things that Elliott could do, giving them a true sense of caring and compassion.

"With how blessed I am, this is something I wanted to do," said Elliott. "I have the ability to give my time to people when other people can't, so why would I not. I think that being able to do this is special. We all need to love somebody and have love for somebody."

Even though the patients were going through difficult times, the smiles were plentiful.

"When I leave there, I want them to feel like I know somebody cares enough about me to spend time with me," said Elliott. "Leaving them with a smile on their face, warmth in their heart, that's my biggest thing. That makes me feel great.

"So, if I can touch each person little by little when it comes to their happiness and how much their fortitude enables to have them thinking I can do this, that's what I'm going to do."

There is nothing better than joy from kids at Christmas, and Pat Freiermuth and his fiancé, Jillian Cataldo, did their part to bring that joy to youth from the YWCA of Greater Pittsburgh.

The two hosted a group of kids on a holiday shopping trip through The Freiermuth Fund, allowing them to select holiday gifts for themselves as they might not have that joy otherwise.

"It's awesome, because Jillian and I take great pride in helping out the community in Pittsburgh," said Freiermuth. "It's fun to see them get toys and stuff like that. Most of them go to the electronic section which is cool.

"Jill and I always tell them we have one rule, and it is to buy a book, so they have to they have to get a book of their choice.

"It's always a fun time. Just seeing the kids happy, and seeing them pick out gifts that they're going to enjoy, is special."

Freiermuth, who launched his foundation this year, is no stranger to giving back. He kicks things off with his back to school program, gives during all of the holidays, and through his foundation has expanded that even further.

"Everyone wants to be happy around the holidays," said Freiermuth. "So, just to be able to help them and make the holiday something special they can remember."

What Freiermuth loves the most is the ability to interact with the kids, spend time with them and get to know them as they enjoy holiday fun.

"It's always awesome being able to interact with kids in that circumstance," said Freiermuth. "Being able to put a smile on their face for the holidays, it helps me and Jill with what we're trying to do with the foundation."

Warmth and comfort is something many of us take for granted during the winter months, but linebacker Alex Highsmith knows there are many out there that don't have the luxury of something as simple as a warm coat for the cold winter months.

Highsmith, who is the Steelers Club Winner for the 2025 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, once again is doing his part to make sure kids don't go without such a basic necessity.

Highsmith hosted his annual winter coat distribution for kids who are served by Urban Impact on Pittsburgh's North Side, the neighborhood that borders Acrisure Stadium.

"This is something that is so important to us," said Highsmith, who does it with his Alex Highsmith Family Foundation. "I've been given this platform to be a blessing to others. So, to be able to give back to kids in that way is something I want to do.

"Pittsburgh's a cold city. To be able to give back and keep kids warm, it means the world to me. A lot of kids don't have that. To be able to do that for some kids, it's really an honor."

Urban Impact serves the youth of the area, providing services, sports and support. Highsmith has a strong relationship with the organization, continually doing his part to give back to them.

"I have a heart for what they do, and for helping those who are in need," said Highsmith. "That's something I've always had a heart for, whether it's someone who's homeless, or a kid who doesn't have a meal, a kid who is cold during the winter. That's one reason why I do this.

"(Urban Impact's) Pastor Ed Glover, he's someone I've always partnered with and done stuff with. So, it's been cool to continue to do this with them."

Highsmith also is happy to know that providing kid's coats takes financial pressure off parents.

"That's a joy too," said Highsmith. "The kids are very joyous when they see the jackets I get for them, and the parents are as well. I think that's what it's about.

"I've always had a heart to give and truly believe it's better to give than to receive."

In addition to his coat giveaway, Highsmith also provided lunch for the women at Hosanna House. Since the early 1990s, Hosanna House has gathered people and pulled resources together with a single purpose in mind, ending a life cycle of poverty and helping individuals and families reach their maximum potential.

Highsmith helped serve food to the women, spending time with them and providing them with items as well.

"It's definitely special to spend time with them, especially during the holiday season," said Highsmith. "I know those women have tough circumstances, they're struggling in certain ways.

"So just being able to be there for them, just be a light for them during this time, it's an honor.

"I've always had a servant heart, so being able serve them in that way, brings me a lot of joy."

What would Christmas be without giving toys to kids, and that is also what Highsmith did.

He held a toy distribution at the Sarah Heinz Center, helping those in the community who might not otherwise get something special this holiday season.

"I just wanted to put a smile on kids faces," said Highsmith. "You just want kids to be happy this time of year.

"Whatever I can do, whatever I can add to make someone's day special, I want to do it."

For long snapper Christian Kuntz and his wife, Heather, spreading holiday joy is something that means everything to them.

And that is why they have done just that.

Once again, they are bringing holiday joy to others, making sure that everyone is included in their big-hearted outreach.

One event that truly touches their heart is a shopping trip with single mothers from Jeremiah's Place to help them with necessities and items for themselves. They also provided holiday gifts for the mom's and their kids through their Kuntz4Ki6s Foundation.

"That's one of my favorite events," said Kuntz. "The moms that are struggling, a single mom family to be able to provide their kids with toys and then take them shopping and able to get them stuff they need personally, and then stuff for their kids and stuff that they can use for months after, it feels good to able to provide them with some essential goods to survive.

"They start off the shopping spree, and they're shy at first and I'm like, hey you have this amount of money to spend, please spend it. And then once they get going, they start opening up and they start throwing stuff in their cart.

"We start off wanting them to get essential needs, whether that's laundry detergent, toilet paper, paper towels. But then it gets to a point where there's only so many paper towels and stuff they can put in their cart. So, we want to give them an opportunity to get some clothes that they need for themselves, or some gloves or whatever it may be. So, it's definitely an event that tugs at your heart."

And while the moms are a focus, the kids certainly aren't forgotten. Through his foundation and Pittsburgh Toys for Tykes, kids are all taken care of.

"We provide gifts for the kid, bigger gifts like bikes and individual stuff. And then we let the moms pick out stuff that they might want to wrap on Christmas Day for their kids."

With kids always the focus, Kuntz hosted a toy distribution at Pittsburgh Grandview PreK-5, in partnership with Pittsburgh Toys for Tykes, bringing joy to kids at a time of year when there should be nothing but joy.

"It's special," said Kuntz. "Especially, doing it at a school like Grandview. Some kids might not get toys during Christmas. And the fact that we could provide them with toys and see the smiles on their faces is unbelievable for me. I work with Pittsburgh Toys for Tykes, and it's a great event I want to continue to help the kids."

It's those smiles that makes Kuntz want to continue what he is doing.

"It's brings joy to my heart just to see them run in the gym and pick a bike or a board game or whatever it may be," said Kuntz. "It's the pure joy and excitement of these kids that makes me happy.

"I can't really explain what it feels like. Some of these kids don't have the opportunity to get gifts that maybe we had the opportunity to get growing up. Just to see their smiles and the pure joy on their faces and to make their Christmas a little brighter is a remarkable feeling."

Kuntz put a bow on his holiday outreach by hosting kids from the Foster Love Project to dinner and a night of fun and games at Dave & Busters. The teens were also provided gift cards so they can do some of their own holiday shopping.

"That is another one that tugs at your heart because it's kids that might not have as much as we have," said Kuntz. "To be able to take them to Dave and Busters and provide them with a meal and then play games with some of my teammates that come to support it as well. It's cool.

"They're a little shy, especially when they've got some of the guys around them. But then, when they come out of their shell, and we start talking a little back and forth about who's going to win in what game, they really open up, and you can see they're having the best time of their life.

"I'm not so much about receiving gifts anymore. It's how can we give gifts away and put smiles on people's faces."

Spending time with kids is what makes the holidays special, and that's what running back Trey Sermon, along with teammates Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell, did with a group of kids from Amachi Pittsburgh.

Sermon hosted the kids at Dave & Busters for a fun-filled evening of arcade games and dinner, doing his part to spread some joy.

"It was about getting kids of all ages together and spending time with them," said Sermon. "I just wanted to allow them to play some games at Dave and Busters and have some fun."

Sermon knows what it would have meant to him as a kid to have an opportunity to spend time with an NFL player and that is why he wanted to give back.

"When I was younger, I didn't have that luxury," said Sermon. "I thought it'd be good just to give back, just give the kids a great experience.

"When I was a kid, my biggest dream was to meet an NFL player. I felt this would be a great thing for them, giving them that opportunity and just showing them a good time."

And they weren't the only ones having fun, as Sermon is no softie when it comes to video games.

"No doubt," laughed Sermon. "Guys like myself, we're competitors at heart, so I tried to go easy on them."

The bottom line is, it was all about the kids.

"It's important to just spend the time together," said Sermon. "Them getting to meet an NFL player, just strengthening that bond within their family, it was just a fun way to give back."

Tight end Jonnu Smith has a deep passion for giving back.

Smith, who started his own Nu Family Foundation, believes that using his platform to give back to the community is something he should do, something he expects from himself.

And once again, he is doing just that by taking kids shopping for new apparel for the holidays.

"It's truly a blessing to be in a position where I can give back to those who are not as fortunate," said Smith. "Obviously, there's families that go through a little adversity financially and so I'm trying to provide for a household.

"If I can just alleviate some of that and be a blessing to others, because I've been extremely blessed, that's what brings me a lot of happiness and joy."

Smith knows that the need for those in the community is stronger than ever, and he will do everything in his power to help.

"I believe all kids deserve to have happiness and joy," said Smith. "And just being a catalyst for my faith. That's something that I really pride myself on, letting my light shine that God has blessed me with and projecting that to others.

"The children, they are truly the most beautiful and pure existence we have physically on earth right now. To be able to make even just one of them smile, that means a lot to me."

Smith comes from a background where he was one of six kids, and the family went through struggles of their own.

That even further fuels his passion for wanting to give to others.

"Just being able to relate to kids that I came from adverse backgrounds and circumstances at home and whether it be financially, a lack of resources, I can empathize with that a lot," said Smith. "I want to be a trailblazer for my faith and just continuing to be a blessing to others and help in time of need, especially when I've been there."

The Steelers and Giant Eagle partnered to help fight food insecurity, providing groceries and necessities to families through the Best of the Batch Foundation.

Steelers players were on hand to help pack the food bags, before families were invited to take part and ensure they have enough to get them through difficult times.

"During these trying times, the holiday season, grocery prices are going up," said former Steelers quarterback Charlie Batch, who runs the foundation with his wife, Latasha. "It's a line item people can't predict what it looks like. During this holiday time, as people are preparing for Christmas with presents, they forget about the other necessities that they may need. It doesn't matter if it's pillows, towel sets, dish sets, pot sets. And food. They're skimping on food and those type of things. And that's why we try to make this holiday season an experience for them. Not just including the presents but also including the food so people can actually sit down and enjoy a holiday meal.

"Those are things that we take for granted at times. But over the last few months, it's been challenging. We've seen the stress that it has put on families. So, to have this particular thing go on here, we're truly grateful for people believing in us, but also stepping up to the forefront to be able to assist families in need."

The Best of the Batch Foundation runs an annual holiday toy drive, and on Christmas Eve they distribute not just toys, but gift baskets and household necessities to families.

Getting a helping hand with the food, especially with food insecurity peaking, gives them a helping hand they need.

"You don't necessarily hear about food insecurity because people don't want to ask for help. They're embarrassed to do so," said Batch. "But you see it, and you see the signs. The guidance counselors, they alert us. The kids come in and they're hungrier than ever. There's a lot that depend on school for breakfast and lunch, but we provide a hot meal for them at five o'clock. So, you see the ones that are coming in a little bit hungry or so and we try to make it a point to give them a little heavier carbs because maybe that's the last meal that they receive the rest of the day.

"We saw it heightened last month when everybody was unsure what the SNAP benefits were. So, the SNAP benefits and the uncertainties that are going on there, you just don't know. And nobody knew at that particular point. It hurt the budgets for people's families and those types of things. You see it heighten and it's just unfortunate.

"Being able to be that bridge for people and assistant families, those are things that we're truly grateful for."