Every Steelers win this season will score $100,000 in debt relief for veterans through new partnership
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - This season, every win the Steelers earn on the field will support those who have served in the military.
Last season, the Steelers won 10 games and made the postseason. This season, every victory will mean even more to veterans in our region.
"We're always so appreciative of what, you know, our veterans and our military does for us in our day-to-day lives," said Steelers Vice President of Sales and Marketing Ryan Huzjak. "But when it comes to football season, it's just such a great connection between our fans and veterans."
About 800,000 veterans live in Pennsylvania, making it the fourth-highest veteran population in the country, but in our area, veterans carry more than $10 million in financial debt.
With that in mind, the Steelers are teaming up with ForgiveCo and Verizon to help forgive $100,000 worth of debt after every victory for the black and gold. It will help give a financial boost to those who have served.
"To be able to help someone in the community who has given us so much, it really is super – kind of emotional to me, and more importantly, something that I can get behind as a leader within this organization," said Andy Brady, Verizon's Great Lakes market president. "To really put our thumbprint on it, it's super special."
Drew Graham is a senior retail manager with Verizon as well as an Army veteran. In his role as a mental health specialist, he saw veterans struggle with the transition from active duty to civilian life. Graham said the partnership represents the act of being there for someone else, just like serving in the military.
"The whole experience with the debt relief makes me proud to be a V-Teamer," Graham said. "It makes me proud to be from Pittsburgh, and it makes me proud to be a Steelers fan, and I think that nothing but good can come from this. And if you just change one life, it was worth it."
In addition to debt forgiveness, Verizon will also offer special discounts and even bill credits for veterans or active military members.
"To do this, it matches everything that we want. It matches exactly being in the community that we love in Pittsburgh, it matches what we do with the NFL, it matches our core foundation and our fundamentals are of being a military-first, military-friendly company. It's actually really perfect," Brady said.