Troy and Theodora Polamalu to host charity event at Acrisure Stadium to benefit those who've suffered tough times

A Pittsburgh Steelers icon is combining faith, family and fun in an effort to raise money and awareness for Pittsburgh area communities affected by trauma.

Two-time Super Bowl champion Troy Polamalu visited Pittsburgh on Friday with his wife, Theodora, by his side, spreading the word about the 2024 Inaugural Resilience Bowl, a new football-themed fundraiser to take place May 21 at Acrisure Stadium.

Proceeds will benefit The Neighborhood Resilience Project, based in the Hill District, whose mission is to assist Pittsburgh-area communities that have been affected by trauma with a goal of becoming healthy, healing and resilient.

The Polamalus now live in San Diego. They came back to Pittsburgh, a city they refer to as family, to host the event.

“Throughout my football career Theodora gave me, thank God, the blessing to really just focus on football, and I know a lot of Steelers fans were really happy about that,” Polamalu said. “But also on the other side of that is the blessing that my wife really spearheaded a lot of our efforts off the field.”

The all-ages fundraiser will include a celebrity-filled seven-on-seven flag football game, an on-field obstacle course, and a VIP pre-game party that will include a silent auction, raffle and celebrities.

Additional sponsors are the Citrone 33 Foundation and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Scheduled celebrity guests include former Steelers James Harrison, Ike Taylor and Ryan Clark; Olympic wrestler Kurt Angle; comedian/actor Steve Byrne; musician and comedian Chip Esten; actor Patrick Fabian; actor and comedian, Pittsburgh’s own Billy Gardell, and Pat Monahan, lead singer of Train.

Flag football team coaches are former head coach and CBS analyst Bill Cowher and Steelers coach Mike Tomlin.

Additional celebrity players will be announced at a later date.

The flag football kicks off at 6:30 p.m.

Theodora said she’s hopeful Pittsburghers will fill the stadium.

The couple partnered with the Neighborhood Resilience Project in 2011.

“We’re very proud that it’s growing and we have the Institute now,” Theodora said. “It really changed the way we were able to impact the community by providing in-house services.”

As of Friday, more than $40,000 has been raised for the Resilience Bowl.

About the program

Gun violence, food insecurity, addiction, housing insecurity and general mental health concerns are some of the issues that the Neighborhood Resilience Project tackles daily.

“It’s all people from the community serving people and helping one another,” Theodora said. “This work is beyond us. It’s necessary. And this is the work that needs to be done in order to correct a lot of the issues that we have in cities across the country.”

The vision of the Neighborhood Resilience Project is to inspire a movement for suffering people to be raised up from the ashes of trauma in unconditional love so they can become empowered healers, positive change makers and community builders.

To date, the Neighborhood Resilience Project’s trauma response team in Pittsburgh has been deployed 84 times to provide psychological and mental health aid to more than 3,000 people affected by the aftermath of gun violence.

More than 55,000 food items and 3,000 articles of clothing have been distributed to those in need.

Additionally, almost 700 patient visits have occurred at the free health center.

Expansion has resulted in other centers being opened in 15 cities, including Columbus, Ohio, Sioux Falls and Kansas City.

In Pittsburgh, more than 2,500 youths are served weekly on Fridays with a free backpack feeding program, in partnership with Pittsburgh Public Schools.

“This event is very important because these things don’t come from nowhere,” Troy Polamalu said. “It takes a lot of community to come together.”

“I can’t tell you a monetary goal with this event. We leave that to God,” Theodora said. “Our goal is not necessarily a number, but it’s people. We want to have thousands of people in the stands.”

The couple are Greek Orthodox and have ties to Saxonburg. Theodora frequently visits the Nativity of the Theotokos Orthodox Monastery, the first Greek Orthodox women’s Monastery in Butler County.

“I lived with the nuns there when I was pregnant with my younger son,” she recalled.

“On all my away games, that’s where Theodora would go,” Troy said. “Faith holds us together.”

Abernathy, a Greek Orthodox priest, offers a sanctuary at the Institute.

“It serves as a church but it also serves as their community area. That’s something we think is very unique about this organization,” Theodora said. “There’s a lack of spirituality in the world, in general, and I think that’s leading to people falling away or making different choices, and this is coming from a Christian perspective.”

Shane Dunlap | TRIBLIVE

Troy Polamalu wipes a tear while speaking about his passion for the work done by the Neighborhood Resilience Project during media interviews on Friday, April 12, 2024 at Babb Inc. on Pittsburgh’s North Side.

Returning to Pittsburgh to plan this inaugural fundraiser brought Troy to tears Friday as he fielded media interview promoting the Resilience Bowl.

“It’s think what’s really important is for everyone to get back to what’s most important — and that’s giving back,” he said. “That’s what I believe makes this city so special. That’s love, camaraderie, family and community. I hope that’s what comes out of this (event).

And I just want this city to win, in every aspect — not just in football.”

Purchase tickets online here.