United Way to pack 40,000 books for kids at annual Big Book Drop
Who: United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania staff and volunteers; Wendy Koch, senior director of regional engagement, United Way; Lighthouse Foundation staff; John Perock, nuclear fuel engineering operations director at Westinghouse and United Way Butler & Armstrong Local Operating Board member.
What: United Way will host its eighth annual Big Book Drop on May 12-14 at Acrisure Stadium, with volunteers working to get 40,000 books to kids across the region prior to summer break, so they have access to books at home while school is out. On Wednesday, volunteers will sort and pack children’s books focused on inclusion, STEAM topics, popular characters, and communication and problem solving. On Thursday, representatives from around 100 United Way partner agencies will collect their boxes of books from Acrisure Stadium for distribution to the children they serve. Agencies requested the number of books needed for various age groups in early April, and United Way volunteers will fulfill their requests with a variety of age-appropriate titles. This year’s Big Book Drop is sponsored by CentiMark Foundation, Grant Thornton, Highmark and KPMG.
Where: The Great Hall at Acrisure Stadium, 100 Art Rooney Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15212. Enter through Gate B.
When: Media are invited to attend on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Why: Reading is one of the most effective ways to support early brain development and improve school readiness in children. During summer break, reading helps kids maintain and improve literacy skills. Access to new and engaging titles keeps kids excited about reading. United Way is committed to expanding early literacy so that children from every zip code are set up for success.
Since 2019, United Way has distributed nearly 214,000 books through the annual Big Book Drop and this year expects that total to exceed a quarter million. A high-energy, joyful event, Big Book Drop connects community and corporate volunteers with partner agencies to get enriching books to children across our region.