Fans bringing new coats and winter outerwear items to PirateFest 2016 receive a free gift courtesy of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Pirates Charities
Baseball fans – while you’re gathering up your Pittsburgh Pirates memorabilia for autographs at PirateFest this weekend, consider bringing along a new coat, hat or gloves to donate to the Salvation Army and Catholic Charities while you’re there. Not only will you nab a sweet piece of Pirates swag, you’ll also help some of the thousands of needy individuals in western Pennsylvania stay safe and warm this winter.
Every year the Pittsburgh Pirates and Pirates Charities choose charitable organizations to support through funds raised by autograph sessions at PirateFest. This year is all about warmth with proceeds going to the Salvation Army’s Project Bundle-Up program and The Catholic Charities Warming Center located at the Susan Zubik Welcome Center in downtown Pittsburgh.
In addition, the Pirates will hold a winter outerwear donation drive at PirateFest. They are asking fans to bring in new winter coats, hoodies, hats, gloves, scarves and boots to the Pirates Charities booth to support the Salvation Army and Catholic Charities. In return, fans receive a specially designed Pirates Charities oven mitt for each item donated.
Annually Project Bundle-Up helps provide outerwear for between 5,000 and 6,000 people throughout the region. But it isn’t enough, said Donna Fencik, Director of Marketing and PR for the Salvation Army Western Pennsylvania Division.
“We have Salvation Army locations throughout western Pennsylvania and every single one of them has a waiting list of people who are in need of winter outerwear,” she said. “There is a greater need than we can fulfill with the current funding that we have.”
Children ages birth to 18 and senior citizens make up the largest groups served by the program. However, coats and other items including hats, gloves, scarves and boots in all sizes are appreciated, she said. There is a specific need for adult large, XL and XXL coats, gloves and hats for both men and women.
The team and the Salvation Army have a long history, Fencik said.
Doing the Most Good
“The Pirates have been very supportive of the Salvation Army for many years,” she said, noting that Manager Clint Hurdle was awarded the organization’s Doing the Most Good Award at their annual dinner in November. In the past, the Pittsburgh Pirates support of the Salvation Army typically came through adopting families to shop for and other activities associated with the team’s annual CAREavan outreach program (which they also did yesterday). This is the first time the team has hosted a donation drive.
“We’ve never done anything specifically like this before so we’re excited to see the results,” she said.
The team has always been quick to offer assistance, Fencik said. “They have been wonderful to work with. Usually they’ll just call us up and say, ‘We’re ready to help out now,’” she added.
And this year, that help could make a major impact in the lives of a lot of people in need.
IF YOU GO:
Needed: NEW Coats, hats, gloves, hoodies, scarves and boots
Sizes: Birth – 18 years, and specifically Adult Large, XL and XXL coats, hats and gloves
Donate at: Pirates Charities Booth
Photo Courtesy Project Bundle-Up
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