For the third time, Steelers players are running the Steelers Social Justice Grant program. The players donate to local organizations that have an impact on the community, and the Steelers match the donations. The Steelers launched the Steelers Social Justice Grant program in December and it continues today, with Alejandro Villanueva making a difference in the community.
Alejandro Villanueva is no stranger to helping people in the veteran community in the Pittsburgh area.
It runs in his blood as the former Army Ranger connects with them in ways that not many others can.
Whether it’s visiting veterans at the Pittsburgh VA Medical Center or attending events the Steelers hold to recognize veterans, Villanueva does his part whenever he can to spend time with veterans, hers To hear stories, uplift them and give back as he can.
And it doesn’t stop there.
Villanueva is making a difference through the Steelers Social Justice Grant Program, a program run by players to work with various factions including law enforcement, nonprofits, the military and more to empower the community at large. He donated $ 2,500 to Veterans Place on Washington Boulevard and $ 2,500 to VA Pittsburgh Fisher House, with the Steelers raising the donations and giving each organization $ 5,000.
“That means everything,” said Rob Hamilton, executive director of Veterans Place. “Just the simple fact that someone who has served our country and knows what it is like to stand on the line for our country and continue to serve at that level speaks volumes to our staff, our board of directors, and more Veterans we serve across the community, with all the success he’s had with the Steelers, the fact that he continues to engage with the veteran population, the vulnerable veteran population that many quite honestly forget, the fact that he is them keeps that in the foreground of his mind is special.
“And the Steelers organization too. I work with a lot of different organizations and it’s special to just pick up the phone and ask the team for assistance. On Veterans Day, Al and some of the Steelers recorded messages for our veterans, and we did played that for them. You could see their reaction live and it was amazing. It all means so much. “
Opened in 1996, Veterans Place has a mission to promote the transition of veterans from homeless to homes, end the cycle of homelessness, and help all veterans at risk become engaged, valuable citizens who contribute to their communities. Their complex consists of 13 townhouses with 48 apartments that house veterans, many of whom are homeless as they help them transition to better lifestyles.
“We take to the streets every day providing access to the street for veterans at risk or homeless. We bring them back to Veterans Place for breakfast, lunch, support services, shower facilities, laundry facilities, and a computer lab, fancy classroom, commercial kitchen” said Hamilton. “We also provide support services for anyone dealing with substance abuse, mental health, and more. We also have a Department of Employment Employment Grant called the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program, and we serve veterans in four countries, Allegheny, Butler, Westmoreland and Fayette. “
Veterans Place serves 500 Veterans annually with around 5,000 meals. And they make a lot of their money, 92 cents on the dollar going straight to the veterans’ services.
Like so many, you faced challenges last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While many organizations were forced to close their doors at the beginning of the pandemic, staying open was of the utmost importance to Veterans Place.
“We were one of the few veterans’ organizations that could stay open here, meet them face-to-face, enable them to still come to campus, be staffed 24/7, and serve our veterans,” said Hamilton. “We made sure the veterans were safe and looked after them, and we still made sure we were providing them with the needs they had. Food insecurity became a problem. Unemployment was a problem . It has also severely affected the mental health of our veterans. “
As of July, they have placed over 60 veterans on permanent positions where they exceed the minimum wage, and are also working with other organizations, including Heinz Field, to help veterans with diverse jobs if the pandemic gets under control.
“At Veterans Place, all of our accommodations are in one place so we could stay connected, isolate ourselves from the public, but not bad to keep our veterans safe and create a conducive environment as they could.” thriving, “said Hamilton.” One of the things we had to do was install computers with Zoom access in all homes so veterans could access virtual support groups, virtual VA psychiatric care, and private facilities. We were able to hold other virtual meetings as well. “
For those at the VA Pittsburgh Fisher House, Villanueva is someone who has been in their corner for a while.
“He’s an amazing person.” said Mary Ellen Austin, a board member at Friends of the Pittsburgh Fisher House, whose son played soccer with Villanueva at West Point. “He’s coming to the VA (before the pandemic) to visit the veterans. He never brought people, didn’t do a big deal, just talked to the veterans. He really has a heart for the veterans. He doesn’t do it for himself himself, he’s not making fanfare. He’s a special person. He speaks so softly. He’s a really special person.
“We just got a capital campaign and he was doing something for our video. When I send the video out to people and reach out to donors we’ve never had before, I always mention Alejandro Villanueva from the Steelers is in there. People really relate to him, especially someone with a military connection, he has been an enormous gift to us.
“The Steelers are the same. This town’s relationship with the Steelers is amazing to me. I didn’t grow up in Pittsburgh, I grew up here for 40 years. The relationship this community has with the Steelers is special. If you are Pittsburgh say Steelers is the next word I think of. “
Opened in 2012, the Pittsburgh Fisher House is one of 90 in the land established and built by the Fisher Foundation on VA or military land to provide homes to families of veterans undergoing surgery or medical treatment at veteran facilities to offer from afar. including the Pittsburgh VA Medical Center. It is a place where they can live while their family member is in the hospital, where they can find comfort and support from staff and others in similar circumstances.
Friends of the Pittsburgh Fisher House is a group that works with Fisher House to raise funds that will be used for everything from providing the comforts of home in the facility to a fundraising campaign for a second Fisher House in the Pittsburgh area, “he told Austin. “Our only purpose is to raise money for the house. We are collecting money to build the new house. In the current house we provide food and the like, and when the current house is full we provide other accommodations. The VA is involved because after the house is built, the structure will be handed over to the VA or the Ministry of Defense.
“Friends of the Pittsburgh Fisher House, the money we raise goes to the guests. When people have a loved one in the hospital and live 50 miles from the house, they can stay at the Fisher House for free. They stay as long as they need to . The VA in Pittsburgh does transplants, so we have people staying eight months. Some stay one night. “
Since the Pittsburgh Fisher House opened, they have accommodated families for more than 35,000 total night stays while accommodating more than 5,800 families, saving them a total of $ 3.5 million in total costs.
The house has 10 rooms, which is why they are opening a second location. Each room is designed so that family members feel comfortable.
“Part of Fisher House’s mission is not just to provide shelter, but also to provide beautiful accommodation,” said Austin. “I also volunteered there and opened the door for a lady and she started crying and said she was never so beautiful. It really is a special place. The other great thing about the house is a communal kitchen. Us It is filled with food every week. When they come back from the hospital there is food everywhere, they can make dinner. One of the great things is that families can get to know and support each other. “
Last year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the VA stopped operations, reducing the number of families staying at Fisher House. But it was still used. They have housed “mission critical workers” including direct patient carers and workers who assist with the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine.
“If someone had a loved one who was dying to let their family go to the hospital and Fisher House, we took care of them,” Austin said. “They housed mission-critical employees during the pandemic.”
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