Heyward helps to sack hunger

The food that Heyward, along with his Heyward House Foundation and Edgar Snyder & Associates, are providing was packed in bags and then will be put in backpacks for the kids to take home at the end of the school week, something that will be repeated weekly throughout the school year.

“Food insecurity affects a lot of people, especially students,” said Heyward. “Parents have a hard job just to begin with providing. We want to ease them, help them, if we can provide a meal, it’s pretty special.”

Among the items packed were cereal, vegetables, fruit cups and more that can help sustain the kids, working with multiple schools in the area.

“There are people who need food,” said Heyward. “It means a lot to be able to help those in need. There is always someone to help, whether it’s a father, mother or child. You want to have someone on their side, and someone providing something like a meal can accomplish that.”

Around 2,000 bags were packed for the kids during the event, which will be sent to Urban Pathways and others.

“One in five children in Southwestern Pennsylvania are food insecure so it’s important for us to be able to give back through partnerships in the community like the one today with Edgar Snyder & Associates, The Heyward House and the Steelers,” said Brian Gulish, VP of Marketing and Communication for the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. “For us it’s a win-win across the board coming together as a community to support our kids.

“Children are one of the highest served populations of the food bank in Southwestern Pennsylvania. About 100,000 children in Southwestern Pennsylvania are food insecure. Not only do they need enough food for stabilizing their lives; they need healthy food. Today we were able to help provide that healthy food and backpacks for the children.”