Inside the Children’s Home of Pittsburgh and Lemieux Family Center everyone knows Joni D’Alessandro. She worked professionally doing hair and nails and she’s Italian, so food is her love language, and she keeps this kitchen packed with non-perishable food.

“If you have the need, we’re there,” D’Alessandro said.

She’s there providing more than just sustenance while simultaneously keeping her stepson, Christopher’s, memory alive. She said, “There’s not anything that I do, that Christopher isn’t in it.”

Christopher was only 16 when he committed suicide. “Only anybody that is in that club, and nobody wants to be in that club knows the hurt,” said D’Alesandro. 

Early on in her grief, she volunteered to paint nails at UPMC Children’s Hospital. 

“They would tell me about their children, about their life, about coming in as a middle-class family and leaving bankrupt,” she added.

D’Alesandro said parents would spend money every day to get necessities like water bottles and food. So, that’s when she got the idea to open a free 24-7 community pantry and kitchen, in medical settings, for the parents and guardians of pediatric patients.

Now there are two Christopher’s Kitchens at UPMC Children’s Hospital, and two at Children’s Home where pediatric patients stay as a transition after leaving the hospital.

“Families are so focused on their child’s care, which they should be, but they still need to be nourished. That’s what Christopher’s Kitchen is providing,” said the Children’s Home of Pittsburgh and Lemieux Family Center, Director of Development, Taylor Dozier. 

“From a few days, if they’re just here to get some feeding training, or they could be here for months, depending on if they’re waiting for something like at-home nursing care.”

So, Christopher’s Kitchen now helps 13,000 families on average, every year with only volunteers. “We’re not doctors, we’re not nurses we’re not care workers. We’re not case managers we’re just there to help out in that moment that you need something quick,” Christopher’s Kitchen volunteer, Kate McDermott, said.

An even quicker necessity the non-profit opened 16 water stations at local hospitals. Parents show their gratitude for the food and nourishment when they’re spending countless hospital hours by their kid’s side.

Christopher’s Kitchen is completely funded by donations. “Pittsburgh is just such an amazing town for that kind of thing, and it allowed us to come into here who is like, I think the ultimate,” D’Alessandro said.

Every cent goes back into the non-profit to provide more food to feed the caretakers of hospitalized kids, in a time of need. It’s ultimately saving our community time, money, and stress while keeping Christopher’s memory alive.

The non-profit can always use volunteers, donations, or community members hosting a food donation drive. For more information on Christopher’s Kitchen and how you can help click on this story, click here. 

The Pittsburgh Steelers have taken a quarterback as they selected Ohio State quarterback Will Howard in the sixth round.

Howard led the Buckeyes to a National Championship in 2024. He completed 73 percent of his passes for 4,010 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions.

He joins a Steelers quarterback room that has Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson. Pittsburgh could add Aaron Rodgers if he decides to sign. However, for now, Howard joins Rudolph and Thompson in a battle for the starting quarterback job.

Howard had a great supporting cast at Ohio State with elite wide receivers in Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka. He also had dynamic running backs alongside him with Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson.

With the Steelers, Howard will have two good receivers in DK Metcalf and George Pickens. He will also have tight end Pat Freiermuth as a target, along with a dynamic backfield featuring Jaylen Warren, Kaleb Johnson, Kenneth Gainwell, and Cordarrelle Patterson.

Howard will, at worst, be a backup quarterback in his rookie campaign with the Steelers, but with their current quarterback room, he has a shot at earning the starting job.

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The Pittsburgh Steelers have remained confident that Aaron Rodgers will ultimately sign with them in free agency, and a decision may be closer than it appears on the surface.

During an appearance on Steeler Nation Radio, team owner Art Rooney II seemed to insinuate that Rodgers has gave them signs that he’s ready to join the team in the future and that the organization would like to have him for at least a portion of the offseason program.

“We’re still kind of getting the same signals we’ve been getting recently that he does want to come here,” Rooney said. “I do think we may get word soon obviously with things starting to crank up here with the offseason program, etc. If he’s coming, would like to get him here soon for some of that.”

While Pittsburgh undoubtedly would’ve liked to receive an official decision from Rodgers before the NFL Draft began, perhaps its choice to avoid selecting a quarterback thus far is an indication that it more or less knows the four-time MVP has committed to the team.

A resolution did not appear imminent as Rodgers discussed prioritizing his personal life and essentially gave the Steelers the OK to move on from him if need be during his appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” last week.

Pittsburgh, however, has always profiled as his likeliest landing spot, even more so after it became clear the New York Giants or Minnesota Vikings wouldn’t bring him in, and there hasn’t been any sense of panic thus far despite how long the process has dragged out.

Rooney himself told reporters at the annual league meetings that the Steelers wouldn’t wait forever for Rodgers to make his choice while also proclaiming his optimism that the team would get the job done, and it seems as though he’ll get his wish in the near future.

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