During a time that is all about being thankful and counting your blessings, Steelers players are making sure they are bestowing blessings upon others.

Over the past week players have been out in the community, providing warm Thanksgiving meals for individuals as well as providing turkeys and all the fixings for others to have their own holiday dinner.

The Steelers have partnered with multiple agencies to give back this year for Thanksgiving, making sure the most vulnerable have food on their table or a warm meal this holiday season.

The Steelers partnered with the Pirates and Penguins once again for a #BurghProud Thanksgiving Meal Distribution, with players, coaches and staff from all three teams joining forces to distribute turkeys and all the fixings to hundreds in conjunction with the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank and Giant Eagle.

The three teams came together as one in an effort to fight food insecurity in the city. Among the Steelers players on hand were center Mason Cole, receivers Miles Boykin and Allen Robinson II, running back Godwin Igwebuike and defensive back Luq Barcoo. 

"It feels good being able to come together in the community with three of the teams in the city," said Robinson. "Around the holiday season you want to try to take as much of a burden off of families and hard-working people. To be able to come out to pass out turkeys, pies and things like that to help ease the burden for people is pretty special."

The group wasn't hampered by continuous rain and cold temperatures as they greeted recipients with smiles and boundless energy.  

"I think it has a strong impact," said Robinson. "When we go out there on Sundays and see all the hard-working people coming out and supporting us, rain, snow, sleet or hail. To be able to come out here to support our community as well, it goes two-fold."  

Approximately 300 families were able to receive their Thanksgiving meal at the drive-up distribution held outside of PNC Park, with an assist from Steely McBeam, the Pirate Parrott and Iceburgh as well as the players and staff. 

"It's not often that all three professional teams here in Pittsburgh get to get together and do something like this. It's a real special day for everyone involved," said Jacque Showvron, Executive Director of Pirates Charities. "We're all very happy that we are able to serve 300 families a Thanksgiving dinner. We're able to do something for the community that's going to allow families to put a meal on the table and enjoy a holiday with those they love."

Defensive tackle Montravius Adams is passionate about giving back to the community and over the last few years has truly connected with Pittsburgh as his second home.

And for him, home is where the heart is so he hosted a Thanksgiving turkey distribution in conjunction with the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.

"It's just the fact of giving back," said Adams. "Not when you get to the top, but when you have gotten out of the situation where a lot of people start, it's good to give back, give encouragement, hope and energy that others can make it out of where they are."

Adams himself grew up in a single parent home, raised by his mother, so any opportunity he has to reach out to those who are struggling, he readily does it.  

"I grew up with a single mom. It's not a choice," said Adams of giving back. "Giving back is something I fell in love with doing. I want to help families. I want to help kids. 

"I try to do a lot of things here in Pittsburgh. We're here half the year. Pittsburgh gives me that home feeling so I want to give back to the people that give back to me."

And doing it at Thanksgiving, a time of year when he is thankful for all he has, fits the bill perfectly.

"I would share time with my family, spend time with the family, have fun and eat what you can at Thanksgiving," said Adams. "It was nothing but joy. That is what I want to bring to others. A little joy, a little happiness and make them happy. 

"The need is so great too. The people at the food bank need it so much. There are so many people out there that need it. When I am riding home sometimes, knowing the temperature is dropping, lately I try to find a way to help the homeless people in the tents on the side of the road, give people blankets, things like that. 

"There are so many things in this world we are dealing with. As long as somebody does things like that to help, we will be okay."

Defensive tackle Cameron Heyward hosted his annual Thanksgiving food distribution, holding it at the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.

Heyward was joined by some of his teammates who assisted with handing out 150 turkeys as well as aiding the families with shopping at the on-site market the food bank now offers. 

"We are just here to serve the community," said Heyward. "I am very thankful for the food bank giving us a chance to serve and support our community.

"It's important to find ways to give back, especially around Thanksgiving, making sure people can put food on the table. This is a great opportunity. I also love the food market they have here that allows the families to select things themselves. It takes that bias and feeling of not being able to shop for yourself away."

Heyward is no stranger to giving back to the community, and it's not just giving back, but his presence and caring that make a difference. 

"I am thankful to this community, and to the food bank, to the Pittsburgh Steelers, for giving us an opportunity to give back to our community," said Heyward. "To have a community that supports us means a lot. 

"It says a lot to the relationship we have with the food bank and my foundation, The Heyward House. We are continuing to grow and give back. Having that relationship maximizes that. We know there are a lot of people in need, and we are in a special place where we can give back to people in need. 

"We surprise people when we come here. We just want to be here and show what we are about and know we have your back."

The food bank has provided the Pittsburgh community with nearly 42 million meals, something they know wouldn't be possible without the combined efforts of everyone in the region, including Heyward and company.
 
"We're so excited to partner once again with Cam and his teammates," said Lisa Scales, the President and CEO of the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. "This is an annual event that we look forward to. I know the families who are receiving the turkeys and all the food necessary for a Thanksgiving dinner are always excited to see the players here. 

"As athletes, they know how important good nutrition is. Just the natural pairing. We want to make sure everyone has consistent access to nutritious food. Families having food on the table this Thanksgiving just warms all of our hearts."

Defensive lineman Larry Ogunjobi hosted his second annual Thanksgiving dinner for families served by the YWCA, spending an evening with them where he served the dinner and visited with the individuals. 

He also took it one step further, as Ogunjobi also passed out gift cards to each of the families to help with their own Thanksgiving dinner for their family. 

"It's really important to help with stuff like this," said Ogunjobi. "The holidays are always hard for people, given certain family situations and things of that nature. Being able to give back is special. My parents took Thanksgiving, Christmas, all of those holidays very seriously. Being able to give back in a big way is important to me. 

"Helping people a little less fortunate than I am is one of the best ways to use the blessings God has bestowed upon you. I am always happy, always eager to give back in a big way."

Ogunjobi is no stranger to giving back, doing so at the holidays and throughout the year as well. It's something that was instilled in him by his parents, Larry and Mercy Ogunjobi who moved to the United States from Nigeria in 1993, the year before he was born, and he never takes the blessings he has for granted.

"I understand that it's not by accident each and every one of us are here," said Ogunjobi. "It took a lot of hard work, dedication, a lot of blessings. Because of that sometimes you do a disservice to yourself, the people that believed in you, if you don't give back. Using your platform in a big way, a big capacity is important. 

"You never know what your influence, your presence can do for people. Just those gestures that may not seem big to us are life changing to others."

And it is his presence at the dinner, visiting with everyone and taking the time to talk, listen to their stories, that goes a long way. 

"I have been a giver the majority of my life from watching my parents," said Ogunjobi. "Being there, seeing the smiles, getting the hugs, the joyful faces is important. I am just happy to be able to give back in a big way."

This might be the first time cornerback Patrick Peterson is hosting a Thanksgiving food distribution in Pittsburgh, but the veteran is no stranger to giving back at the holidays. 

Peterson has held an annual Thanksgiving distribution where he has played, always wanting to help the local community, especially when he sees the need is so strong at the holiday season. 

"So many families, so many people look forward to the holidays but don't necessarily have the means to meet their specific needs," said Peterson. "I just want to be generous enough to help put a smile on their face and make them feel a part of America having a nice home cooked meal on Thanksgiving."

Peterson provided 200 turkeys and all the fixings to local families at a distribution held in conjunction with the Best of the Batch Foundation. 

"It's heartwarming for me to be able to give back to the community, whatever community I am in," said Peterson. "The community looks up to us as professional athletes, whether it's to get their day started, persevere through things. They look to us for answers. 

"That is one of the questions I am able to answer for them by giving a helping hand during the holiday season.

"I always want to do it in new places to help the community, to give back and to connect and show them I care."

During the last few years, Peterson has seen the need grow by leaps and bounds, much of that brought on still by the after effects of the pandemic.

"I think COVID brought a bigger awareness to how many families, how many people are in dire need," said Peterson. "The pandemic put a bigger window on it, a broader vision of how in need America is."

Cornerback Levi Wallace is the Steelers nominee for the NFL's Salute to Service Award presented by USAA, so it's no surprise he has given back to veterans during the holidays. 

Wallace provided Thanksgiving dinner for those who reside at Veterans Place in the Pittsburgh area, helping to lift their spirits and bring some fun and joy to them. 

"Thanksgiving is coming up and we wanted to give back to veterans who have served this country, veterans such as my parents," said Wallace. "We wanted to give back to them and thank them for their service. Everybody deserves to be fed, enjoy company and be around people that love them and that want to love on them. Me and some of my teammates came here and wanted to do that for these guys."

Wallace, who was joined at the dinner by Patrick Peterson and Luq Barcoo to help serve the food and visit with the veterans, comes from a military family as both of his parents, Wendy and the late Walter Wallace both served in the United States Air Force. His mother served for four years in a personnel role, while his father served for 21 years as an airplane mechanic and reached the rank of Master Sergeant.

One area his Levi Wallace Foundation focuses on is veterans, as he understands what their sacrifice has been and what they mean to this country.

"I wouldn't be here without both my parents being in the military, with the opportunities I was able to have to play this game and the lessons I learned from them," said Wallace. "Any way I can give back to those who served this country, I try to do my very best. 

"My foundation, we try to help the veterans. These guys are veterans, they served our country, and they deserve more. Any way we can help in my foundation we try to do that."

In addition to the dinner, Amazon, through the NFL, donated $25,000 to Veterans Place to help them with their mission to empower veterans' transition from homeless to home, ending the cycle of homelessness, and to assist all at-risk veterans to become engaged, valuable citizens who contribute to their communities.

"The Steelers came and provided Thanksgiving dinner for our veterans on site. We have 48 veterans who live here for transitional living and come in for the various services with veteran's resource center and employment services," said Kevin Kordzi, the executive director of Veterans Place. "It was amazing. And with the check we got from Amazon, coming in and thinking about us, serving the food, meeting the veterans, signing autographs. They appreciated it. We appreciate everything you guys have done, spending time with folks, showing they are important and not forgotten."