Teresa Varley

Thursday, April 17

Showing appreciation:The Steelers held their annual Community Partner Appreciation Breakfast on Thursday at Acrisure Stadium, an opportunity to recognize the amazing work being done by agencies in the Pittsburgh region to make a difference in the communities they serve.

The Steelers worked with all of the partners throughout the past year, hosting 77 events in 29 different neighborhoods. As a part of it, over 1,500 meals were distributed, and 600 youth were served during the holiday season. In addition, the Steelers Social Justice Fund provided over $500,000 in donations to local organizations.

"We know you are the first line of defense for our vulnerable community members," said Blayre Holmes Davis, the Steelers Senior Director of Community Relations. "We know you are our boots on the ground, and the work that you do is hard. With that, I say thank you for caring for our homeless population, for the woman who just found out she was diagnosed with breast cancer, to creating a welcoming space for our immigrant and refugee population, and to ensuring students have everything they need to have a successful career.

"Know that we see you, you will always have a partner in us, and we will do the best we can to support you."

Steelers President Art Rooney II and Hall of Fame running back Jerome Bettis were part of a panel discussion about the importance of community involvement and why it is such a staple for the Steelers.

"Down through the years we have been fortunate to have players like Jerome on our team, being leaders in our community, making sure they are setting a great example and supporting all of the efforts of people like you," said Rooney.

Bettis, who was the NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2001 for his community service, learned at a young age how important giving back is.

"For me it was pretty easy," said Bettis. "I was impacted by a foundation when I was a young kid in high school, and I was introduced to the game of football. I was more compelled than most to want to give back because of so much that was given to me. My journey with football was because of Reggie McKenzie. He chose to have a football camp for free in Detroit. He had mentoring programs, college SAT programs, so many things I benefited from.

"I said to myself, if I can ever be in a position that I can impact others in this kind of way, that is what I am going to do. When I got to Pittsburgh and I saw the community outreach the Steelers were doing, I knew this was the right place I could go out into the community and do much more.

"This organization does so much in the community. Much more than many of us ever would have thought or guessed. To see the impact they are making, it makes you proud to be a former Pittsburgh Steeler."