Pittsburgh, Pa. – The Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) announced Monday morning that it is partnering with Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank for its third annual league-wide Food & Fund Drive with the Pittsburgh City League. This year’s Food & Fund Drive will run over most of the fall semester, as it begins on Monday, August 21 and ends Friday, December 1.
 
In the first two years of the Food & Fund Drive, WPIAL and Pittsburgh City League schools raised a total of 175,078 meals for the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. In 2022, there were 11 schools that provided over 1,000 meals each, and 13 schools that raised over 100 pounds in physical donations.
 
“As we begin the 2023-2024 school year, let us be a beacon for those less fortunate and donate to the (Greater Pittsburgh Community) Food Bank with our annual Food & Fund Drive,” said Scott Seltzer, WPIAL Executive Director. “Extending the Food & Fund Drive over the fall semester gives us more of an opportunity to make a difference as a league in our communities, and we’re excited to partner with the Food Bank on this initiative once again.”
 
“We’re excited to team up with WPIAL school districts again this year to make sure all kids have enough food to eat,” said Lisa Scales, Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank President and CEO. “This event comes at a time when so many of our neighbors are struggling to put food on the table. With inflation and SNAP emergency allotments ending, these donations will ensure all families have access to the nutritious food they need to thrive.”
 
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 in December after totals are calculated. Winning schools will be recognized with a Community Champion banner for their achievement either at the WPIAL Basketball Championships in March 2024, or by having a Food Bank staff member present their banner at their school.
 
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/wpial23) that will keep a running total. Those wanting to donate will be asked to select their school from the Pittsburgh Food Bank link. For every $1.00 donated, three meals can be provided.
 
For physical food donations, one food item will equal one meal. Schools are permitted and encourage 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. School donations will also be credited to their applicable food bank (ex. Collections from Westmoreland County schools will go to Westmoreland County Food Bank).
 
Last year’s Community Champions were Seneca Valley in 6A, Armstrong in 5A, Knoch in 4A, Mohawk in 3A, Winchester Thurston in 2A, and Redeemer Lutheran in 1A, with Armstrong raising a league-high 12,392 meals. Yough collected a league-best 1,830 items of physical food donations, and Seneca Valley collected the most in monetary donations with $2,275.
 
The six divisions are made up as follows:

6A Division: Allderdice*, Baldwin, Bethel Park, Brashear, Butler, Canon-McMillan, Fox Chapel, Franklin Regional, Gateway, Hempfield Area, Moon, Mt. Lebanon, North Allegheny, Nort 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, Chestnut Ridge Academy, Cornell, The Ellis School, Environmental Charter, 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

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 food for more than 42 million meals annually across 11 counties in southwestern Pennsylvania through a network of more than 1,000 agencies, partners, and programs.
 
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