Ford dealerships are asking customers to bring non-perishable food instead of just kicking tires this September, while Neighborhood Ford Store partners with the Pittsburgh Steelers on a hunger effort. Participating dealerships are collecting non-perishable food throughout September.
The Neighborhood Ford Store-Steelers hunger effort was reported by CBS News. A Steelers game is also mentioned, though the available report does not identify the opponent or establish a direct lead-up. A prior holiday food drive offers another example of Neighborhood Ford Store's involvement in hunger relief.
The broader 2026 Ford Dealer Global Food Drive is a corporate initiative called Ford Building Together that includes a September food drive at participating Ford dealerships, according to SFGate. At its 2025 launch, involving dealers in 31 countries, Ford's Building Together program collected more than 1.7 million pounds of food and essential supplies for local hunger relief groups, per Ford Motor Company. Participating dealers typically gather donations by setting out collection bins in showrooms or in the beds of F-150 pickups.
Why September Matters for Pittsburgh's Hungry
The timing isn't a coincidence. September is recognized nationwide as Hunger Action Month, an annual campaign coordinated by Feeding America and regional food banks meant to spur donations, volunteer work, and advocacy against food insecurity, per PA Eats. The effort comes as food insecurity remains an issue in Southwestern Pennsylvania.
About 1 in 8 people and 1 in 5 children face food insecurity across the 11-county Southwestern Pennsylvania service area covered by the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, according to the food bank. Food insecurity remains a concern across the region.
A Track Record of Stadium Collaborations
This isn't the first time Neighborhood Ford Store has been involved in a hunger-relief effort. In December 2025, Neighborhood Ford Store and U.S. Steel held a holiday food drive at a Steelers game that collected enough non-perishable food to provide nearly 2,500 meals for the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, according to United States Steel Corporation. The event offers a prior example of the dealer group's involvement in food relief.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has reported on a Neighborhood Ford Store breast-cancer-awareness promotion, as described in its coverage.
Part of a Bigger Regional Push Against Hunger
The Ford-Steelers drive also comes alongside the #BurghProud Challenge, a Pittsburgh professional sports campaign to fight hunger. In June, the Steelers joined the Pittsburgh Pirates and Pittsburgh Penguins for the #BurghProud Challenge, a monthlong campaign backed by a $1 million matching grant from the Richard King Mellon Foundation benefiting the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. That effort had fans logging 30 miles of physical activity in 30 days while raising funds. The campaign brought the three teams together around the cause.
Community fundraising efforts can provide additional ways to support the food bank.
