Steelers, Penguins and Pirates come together for Martin Luther King-inspired charity event

The Steelers, Penguins and Pirates teamed up for a drive-thru and walk-up distribution event Saturday to honor the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

“We wanted to do something to celebrate MLK Day,” Myah Olson, community relations assistant of the Steelers, said at the Hill District location. “We thought 'What better way than not just team up with the other teams, but also do something in the community.'”

The three teams held sites in the Hill District, North Shore and East Liberty to distribute groceries, shoes and socks to over 500 local families. More resources were also donated to 412 Food Rescue and the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.

“We thought it was important to meet the community where they are,” Tracey McCants-Lewis, vice president of the Penguins' human resources, said.

“When we can divide and conquer and hit other parts of the city, it makes the impact even greater,” said Jacque Skowvron, Executive Director of Pirates Charities and Community Outreach.

The three teams partnered with Convoy of Hope, an international humanitarian organization that has worked with the Steelers in the past. They provided the clothes and food at the distribution sites, while the three teams came together to organize the events and provide volunteers to load cars.

The Steelers were the ones who led the charge, but “it’s not uncommon for all three teams to come together for events like this,” according to Lewis.

The teams also partnered with VEEEM, a Pittsburgh-based non-partisan organization that is dedicated to improving voter turnout.

The HIll District location had VEEEM representatives to help people get registered to vote, while the other two sites gave information on how to get registered.

“It [voter registration] was something that was important to the King family, that it would be a part of all the activities today,” Olson said.