STEELERS TEAM AND PLAYER FOUNDATIONS

AND CHARITABLE AFFILIATIONS


Foundations

Art Rooney Memorial Scholarship

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.

 

Charlie Batch – Best of the Batch Foundation

Mission Statement

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.

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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 Walter Reed Hospital 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.

 

 

Ben Roethlisberger – 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 will disperse grants to support or purchase service dogs and vests that assist police and fire departments.

Grants will be 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.




Max Starks – The Max Starks Fund


Mission Statement

Max Starks established the Max Starks Fund, through the Pittsburgh Foundation, to help promote childhood literacy and education. Starks, who himself went back to school to complete his degree, knows the value of education and wants to do his part to make sure that the today's youth are prepared for the future with a proper education.

"I've had a lot of different people approach me, and I'm pretty knowledgeable about the groups and the mentoring programs in the area," said Starks.  "It's important for people in my position to speak up about these things.  I want to give children the opportunities and the tools they might not otherwise have.  I want them to have the same tools I had as a child."

 

Something near and dear to Starks heart is events that raise funds and awareness for breast cancer. His mother, Eleanor, is a breast cancer survivor. He participates in events through the team and around the Pittsburgh community that benefit breast cancer. This year he and his mother were co-hosts of Hot Pink Pittsburgh, raises funds to provide breast and cervical cancer screening for uninsured women in Western Pennsylvania. 

 

Starks also hosts the Hoge/Starks/Ward golf outing to benefit the Caring Foundation and Caring Team, with teammate Hines Ward 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.

He has also organized a yearly Thanksgiving Turkey giveaway for needy families through the Pittsburgh Food Bank.

 

For more information visit The Pittsburgh 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 Caring Foundation and Caring Team, 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.

 


 

Charitable Affiliations

 

Ryan Clark – The Cancer Caring Center

 

Willie Colon – The Lupus Foundation

 

Brett Keisel – What Moves U?

John Mitchell – Every Child

Jeff Reed – Mentoring Partnership of Southwestern Pennsylvania

Aaron Smith- Every Child

 

Mike Tomlin – All-Pro Dad

Click for a full list of programs the Steelers take part in - Steelers Programs.