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Pirates CARE-avan visits Agewell Pittsburgh

About 150 seniors having lunch at AgeWell Pittsburgh’s JCC JCafe in late January enjoyed a visit by the Pittsburgh Pirates CARE-avan. Agewell Pittsburgh is the collaboration between JFCS, JCC and JAA.* Players Nick Kingham, Kevin Kramer and Kevin Newman, along with coaches Tom Prince and Kimera Bartee handed out winter hats, signed autographs, posed for dozens of photos and brightened the day for the diners and JCC staff.

In the aftermath of the tragedy at the Tree of Life synagogue, CARE-avan coordinator Sarah Jugovic said that the Pirates wanted to show their solidarity with the Squirrel Hill community. So before their arrival at JCC they visited the Tree of Life tribute display that had developed outside the building and was eventually brought inside. Members of the victims’ families talked about the loved ones they lost.

Each year the CARE-a-van hosts some 30 events impacting 11 cities in the greater Pittsburgh area. When approached by the Pirates looking for activities in the Squirrel Hill area, JFCS recommended the AgeWell Pittsburgh JCafe congregant lunch for seniors. Other stops that day included delivering lunch to all six Pittsburgh Police Zone Stations on Friday, visits to schools, Boys & Girls Clubs and several other nonprofit, community-based organizations.

The annual Winter CARE-a-van is presented by the Pirates in partnership with Pirates Charities, the philanthropic arm of the organization. JFCS and JCC were proud to be a part of CARE-avan this year – go Bucs!

Photo: Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Nick Kingham poses with a die-hard fan!

*Jewish Family and Community Services (JFCS), Jewish Community Center (JCC), Jewish Association on Aging (JAA) work together as AgeWell Pittsburgh to help seniors stay healthy, independent and engaged in our community.

 

 

 

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