Pittsburgh, PA – Today, Pittsburgh Steelers’ Super Bowl Quarterback and Findlay, OH native Ben Roethlisberger announced the final grants of the 2010-11 season from the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation at The Giving Back Fund. The Foundation will be distributing over $51,000 in grants to seven different K-9 units in the Pittsburgh, PA area where the Steelers play their home games.
The Police Departments receiving funding from the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation this year are Center Township, City of Pittsburgh, Greensburg, Indiana Township, Swissvale, Westmoreland County and the Borough of Gallitzin.
This announcement completes the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation’s fourth grant cycle, during which it distributed more than $110,000 in grants to K-9 units around the country. In addition to the Pittsburgh grants announced, the Foundation distributed grants to police and fire departments in the cities and surrounding communities of each regular season away game for the Steelers in the 2010 season. The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation invited police and fire departments in the nine cities to submit proposals detailing their needs.
Greensburg Chief of Police Walter J. Lyons said, “The police K-9 unit has been and continues to be a valuable tool in community policing activities, criminal apprehension, tracking and drug cases. The support given by the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation is critical to maintaining a first class police K-9 unit.”
Center Township Chief of Police Barry D. Kramer said his department “greatly appreciates the generosity of the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation. The Center Township Police Department will do our best to take this opportunity to develop and implement a K-9 program to make our community a safer place.”
The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation is also blessed with several generous sponsors that have enabled it to expand its K-9 grant program, including American Eagle, Kerzner International Resorts and the Allegheny District Attorney’s Office, as well as from caring individual donors from around the country.
In commenting on why the mission of the foundation is so important to him, Roethlisberger said, “We’re very fortunate to be in the position that we are able to help these K-9 units. The work that is performed by the dogs and their handlers as well as the bond that is formed is incredible. We’re just thrilled to do our small part.”
For more information about the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation or The Giving Back Fund, please contact Stephanie Sandler or visit www.bigben7.com or www.givingback.org.
About Ben Roethlisberger
Ben Roethlisberger just finished his seventh season as quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and already has secured his place in the record books. At 6-foot-5 and 245 pounds, he is aptly referred to as Big Ben, and has become known for big performances and a humble approach. Roethlisberger is one of only 10 starting quarterbacks to win two or more Super Bowls. In 2009, he led the Steelers to a 27-23 victory over the Arizona Cardinals in Tampa with a thrilling touchdown pass in the final minutes. In 2006, Roethlisberger became the youngest starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl, defeating the Seattle Seahawks 21-10 in Detroit. Roethlisberger was voted to the Pro Bowl in 2008, and already holds most of the passing records for the Steelers. He is the only quarterback to lead his team to the conference championship game in each of his first two seasons. He was the unanimous Rookie of the Year in 2004, breaking Dan Marino’s rookie records for completion percentage and passer rating, and was the first quarterback in NFL history to compile a 13-0 regular season record as a rookie.
Roethlisberger was raised in Findlay, OH and was a three-sport star at Findlay High School. He went on to set nearly every quarterback record at Miami University (Ohio) prior to foregoing his senior season and becoming the 11th overall pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2004 NFL Draft. Roethlisberger resides near Pittsburgh with his two dogs, Zeus and Hercules.
About The Giving Back Fund
The Giving Back Fund (GBF) is a national public charity that creates and professionally manages charitable foundations and other philanthropic programs for athletes, entertainers, business entrepreneurs, and corporations. Since our founding in 1997, GBF has created an important niche in expanding and diversifying philanthropy, particularly among young people, women and people of color. Our unique structure allows donors to direct more of their charitable dollars to causes they care about and less to administrative overhead. To date, The Giving Back Fund has provided philanthropic consulting, management and programming to more than 200 athletes, entertainers, entrepreneurs, and other high net worth individuals. GBF has overseen the distribution of more than $30,000,000 in charitable grants within the United States and other countries, and has developed dozens of unique scholarship, mentoring, medical, arts, and other philanthropic programs. For additional information, please visit www.givingback.org.