WPIAL, Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank Team Up for League-Wide Food Drive

Thursday, August 4, 2022

Pittsburgh, Pa. – The Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) announced Thursday that it is partnering with Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank for its second annual league-wide food drive from October 10-22.

In its inaugural year, WPIAL and Pittsburgh City League schools raised a total of 107,232 meals for the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. There were 22 schools across the league that provided over 1,000 meals each, and 15 schools raised over 100 pounds in physical donations.

“[The WPIAL Food Drive] gives us an opportunity to be a part of something big that benefits the lives of kids,” said WPIAL Executive Director Scott Seltzer. “We’re here to help improve the lives of kids, and the [Greater Pittsburgh Community] Food Bank and this partnership with them allows us to do that.”

“We’re so excited to see WPIAL school districts jump into this healthy competition to help make sure our neighbors have access to nutritious food,” said Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank President and CEO Lisa Scales. “With inflation impacting both our community members and Food Bank operations, donations are critical in helping us feed every family who comes to us for help.”

Like last year, schools will be divided into six divisions by enrollment, and the schools tabulating the most “meals” (total between money donated and food collected) in each of those divisions will be announced at the end of October after totals are calculated. Winners will be recognized during the annual WPIAL Sportsmanship Summit on Wednesday, November 16 with a banner for their achievement. Donations can be made in two ways – financial donations and physical food donations.

For financial donations, each school has its own donation page on Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank (pittsburghfoodbank.org/wpial22) that will keep a running total. Those wanting to donate will be asked to select their school from the Pittsburgh Food Bank link, and donations both before and during the October 10-22 period will be accepted. For every $1.00 donated, five meals can be provided. School totals will also be credited to their applicable food bank (ex. Funds from Westmoreland County schools will go to Westmoreland County Food Bank).

For physical food donations, one food item will equal one meal. Schools are permitted and encouraged to have multiple food collections – such as in school, at a sporting event, or during a school event – and will then have to select a time and location to drop off collected food so it can be counted and credited toward the school’s total meals provided. Food drop-off times vary by location, and schools will have the opportunity to tour the facilities to learn more about the mission and operations of the Food Bank.

Moon (6A), Knoch (5A), Quaker Valley (4A), Avonworth (3A), Fort Cherry (2A), and Union (1A) were named champions of their respective divisions following the inaugural WPIAL Food Drive, with Moon providing a league-high 19,362 meals.

6A DIVISION
Allderdice*, Baldwin, Bethel Park, Brashear*, Butler, Canon-McMillan, Fox Chapel, Franklin Regional, Gateway, Hempfield Area, Moon, Mt. Lebanon, North Allegheny, North Hills, Norwin, Penn Hills, Penn-Trafford, Peters Township, Pine-Richland, Plum, Seneca Valley, Shaler, South Fayette, Trinity, Upper St. Clair

5A DIVISION
Albert Gallatin, Ambridge, Armstrong, Belle Vernon, Blackhawk, Carrick*, Central Catholic, Chartiers Valley, Connellsville, Elizabeth Forward, Greater Latrobe, Hampton, Highlands, Indiana, Kiski Area, Laurel Highlands, Mars, McKeesport, Montour, New Castle, North Catholic, Ringgold, Thomas Jefferson, Uniontown, West Allegheny

4A DIVISION
Avonworth, Beaver, Beaver Falls, Central Valley, Deer Lakes, Derry, East Allegheny, Freeport, Greensburg Salem, Hopewell, Keystone Oaks, Knoch, Lincoln Park, Mt. Pleasant, Oakland Catholic, Obama Academy*, Pittsburgh Creative & Performing Arts (CAPA) School*, Quaker Valley, Shady Side Academy, South Allegheny, South Park, Southmoreland, Valley, West Mifflin, Woodland Hills

3A DIVISION
Apollo-Ridge, Brentwood, Brownsville, Burrell, Charleroi, Ellwood City, Freedom Area, Jeannette, Ligonier Valley, McGuffey, Mohawk, Neshannock, New Brighton, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Perry Traditional Academy*, Pittsburgh Science & Technology Academy*, Propel Braddock Hills, Riverside, Seton LaSalle, Steel Valley, Sto-Rox, Washington, Waynesburg Central, Westinghouse*, Yough

2A DIVISION
Aliquippa, Bentworth, Bethlehem-Center, Burgettstown, California, Carlynton, Carmichaels, Chartiers-Houston, Clairton, Eden Christian Academy, Fort Cherry, Frazier, Greensburg Central Catholic, Laurel, Leechburg, Nazareth Prep, Northgate, Propel Montour, Riverview, Serra Catholic, Shenango, South Side, Springdale, University Prep*, Winchester Thurston

1A DIVISION
Aquinas Academy, Avella, Beaver County Christian School, Bishop Canevin, Calvary Chapel Christian, Cornell, The Ellis School, Geibel Catholic, Hillcrest Christian Academy, Hillel Academy, Imani Christian Academy, Jefferson-Morgan, Mapletown, Monessen, The Neighborhood Academy, Open Door Christian School, Propel Andrew Street, Redeemer Lutheran School, Rochester, Saint Joseph, Sewickley Academy, Summit Academy, Trinity Christian School, Union, West Greene, Western Beaver

(* – denotes Pittsburgh City League [PIAA District VIII] school)

In September of 2021, the WPIAL joined the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank’s Sports and Media Coalition, which is a collaboration between local media and the region’s professional, NCAA, Division I, high school, and other influential sports organizations. The Sports and Media Coalition officially launched on January 1, 2022, and its initial goal is to ensure all youth in the region have enough healthy food to eat, and quarterly priorities during the first year include: raising awareness about existing resources to improve children’s food security, working collaboratively to reduce stigmas for kids participating in child nutrition programs, working collaboratively to promote health eating and physical activities for kids, and advocating to elected officials for strong child nutrition policies.

About the WPIAL
Founded in 1906, the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) represents Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) District VII, which is one of the 12 districts governed by the Constitution and By-Laws of the PIAA. The WPIAL represents its member schools by promoting academics, the safety of participants, sportsmanship, citizenship, and lifelong values as the foundation of interscholastic athletics. The league holds championships for 26 different sports, and its member schools are made up of 10 state counties: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington, and Westmoreland.

About the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank
Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank (Food Bank) is a nonprofit organization that distributes enough food for 45 million meals annually across 11 counties in southwestern Pennsylvania through a network of 850 agencies, partners, and programs. Its mission is to feed people in need and mobilize our community to eliminate hunger. Founded in 1980, the Food Bank is a member of Feeding America, the leading domestic hunger-relief charity in the United States. Over the past four decades, the Food Bank has moved beyond emergency food assistance. In addition to sourcing, warehousing, and distributing food via new methods, the Food Bank is actively engaged in confronting issues of chronic hunger, poor nutrition, and health. Its work includes childhood hunger initiatives, special distributions to seniors and other vulnerable populations, SNAP enrollment assistance, nutrition education, and capacity-building efforts. The Food Bank is a primary driver in anti-hunger-related advocacy initiatives regionally, statewide, and nationally.

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