Before he takes the field and tries to beat the Browns in Cleveland on Sunday, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is doing some good in the community.
On Thursday, the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation announced that the North Royalton Police Department would be this year's first recipient of a grant from its The Giving Back Fund. With the grant funds, the North Royalton Police Department with purchase a K-9m as well as a vest and kennels for the dog as they prepare to re-establish their K-9 unit.
Throughout the upcoming season, Roethlisberger's foundation will distribute grants to K-9 police units and fire departments in either the city or a nearby city of each Steelers away game, as well as several grants in the Pittsburgh area. Police and fire departments across the country have been invited to submit proposals detailing their needs to the foundation.
The upcoming season marks the 12th season the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation has participated in its K-9 program. It has distributed more than $1.92 million since 2007, including $170,000 in grants last year.
“The City of North Royalton and The North Royalton Police Department would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation for awarding our Department this grant to fund a K-9 unit," North Royalton Director of Public Safety Bruce G. Campbell said in a statement. "This addition to our Police Department will assist us in continuing our mission of providing a safe community for visitors and residents. We truly appreciate the support shown to the Law Enforcement Community across the country by Mr. Roethlisberger and his Foundation.”
For more information on the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation, check out www.big.ben7.com or www.givingback.org.