4,000 Volunteers, Including Pittsburgh Steelers Ben Roethlisberger, Package Meals For People In Need
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - A local group is trying to shift the focus from Black Friday shopping, to Black Friday giving. The third annual Amen to Action event was held Friday morning.
They worked together like an assembly line, packing up soup for people in need. Then, they packed up the boxes to take to the food bank. The organization will distribute the food.
This is Lisa Miller's third year taking part in the event.
"It's so uplifting. It's so wonderful. Great experience. For family, it's very touching and there's so many encouraging people," said Miller.
She came with her family from Michigan, just to help the needy. For others, it was their first time volunteering, like 11-year-old Gia Liberatore.
"To help out for the poor. We are big believers of God. We are very blessed that we can do this and the poor can have this," said Liberatore.
"I think it's so great. I love volunteering and I just like helping the poor," said volunteer Isabella Liberatore.
Four thousand volunteers of all ages took part in Friday's event, packing one million meals that will go to people in need in the greater Pittsburgh area.
Some of those volunteers included Pittsburgh Steelers Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. He brought his kids along to teach them that giving back is what it's all about.
"We want to bring the kids to let them know that there's a bigger picture of what we're doing. Obviously, there's people from our church here. That's kind of how we got involved with it. So we wanted to bring them out here to let them know there's more that we can do, especially on the day after Thanksgiving," said Roethlisberger.
"Amen to Action. We named it because we want to say amen to the goodness that we've received, then act on the behalf of others," said Founder Reid Carpenter.