UPDATE: The grant is in the amount of $8,000.
PRESS RELEASE:
Pittsburgh Steelers’ Super Bowl Champion Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger announced today the fifth grant in the 2009 grant cycle of the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation at The Giving Back Fund. The grant will be distributed to the Kansas City Police Department in Kansas City, Missouri. The department is seeking financial assistance for the purchase of one new canine that will be purchased to replace retiring canines at the end of this year.
This NFL season The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation is distributing grants to Police and Fire Departments in Pittsburgh and in the cities and surrounding communities of each regular season away opponent for the Steelers in 2009. The Chiefs play the Steelers this Sunday. The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation has invited police and fire departments in the eight cities to submit proposals detailing their needs.
“We are thrilled to receive this grant, especially because of how tight our budget is this year” Chief James Corwin said. “This money will be used to replace Rambo, one of our canines who will be retiring because of arthritis. The police department can now keep our Canine Section fully staffed, which is critical to our patrol operations.”
In commenting on why the mission of the foundation is so important to him, Roethlisberger said, “It is an honor and a privilege to work with police and fire departments in and around the Pittsburgh area as well as with others around the country. We have had the opportunity to see first-hand how important the dogs are to these men and women who risk their lives every day to protect us. It’s incredible to see the strong bond that is formed between the dogs and their partners both on the job and at home. ”
The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation seeks to provide support for police and fire departments throughout the US and to enhance the quality of life for residents of Findlay, OH and Pittsburgh, PA.
For more information about the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation or The Giving Back Fund, visit http://www.bigben7.com/ or http://www.givingback.org/.
