Community Heroes Celebrated by Hounds
USL Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC

Community Heroes Celebrated by Hounds

Published on September 9, 2025 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC News Release


When people typically picture heroes, they think of superhuman individuals with powers like flight, super strength or invisibility, winning recognition for saving the city. But in everyday life, community heroes striving to make the Pittsburgh community a safer, healthier and more equitable place often go unnoticed.

To honor those striving to make an impact on our city, the Pittsburgh Riverhounds will host Community Heroes Night at 7 p.m. this Saturday when they face league-leading Louisville City FC at Highmark Stadium.

There are many different ways to be a community hero. Midfielder Jackson Walti, one of the longest tenured players in Pittsburgh between his time at the University of Pittsburgh and with the Hounds, defines it as lending a helping hand when possible.

"(It's) being present in the community, whether it's community service projects or just reaching out and being a part of what it means to be a Yinzer," he said. "I've been here a long time, and just being active in this community, I think, is what it's about."

Walti has worked with the Boys & Girls Club of Western Pennsylvania and is currently supporting Pittsburgh Youth for Climate Change Action through the Riverhounds' Play for Change ticketing program. A tireless worker on the field, Walti has embraced the Yinzer ethic of being active in the community.

The Pittsburgh community cultivated by countless heroes over the years is one that people from outside the city sometimes don't immediately connect with. Fortunately, Hounds midfielder and captain Danny Griffin fit right in when he first arrived in Pittsburgh in 2020.

"It's a tight-knit community," he said. "People are there for each other. I noticed that coming in my first year in Pittsburgh. It was welcoming."

Griffin, like Walti, has also come to embody the same Pittsburgh attitude - hard-working and selfless.

"There are people in times of need, and when you can give a hand, you give a hand," he said. "Treat others the way you want to be treated. I think the biggest thing for us is knowing what we can do to make someone better around us."

Last week, Griffin and his teammates, defender Sean Suber and goalkeeper Ben Martino, visited the Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh, a nonprofit that provides care and adoption services for animals in addition to community events involving pets and their owners.

"For me, I've had a strong affection for all kinds of animals," Griffin said. "I had rabbits growing up, and being around dogs and cats, I've always wanted them to have a special place to call home, and the community heroes here do that."

To see more about the Hounds' visit to the Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh (HARP), check out footage of their visit on the Riverhounds' YouTube Channel. To learn more about HARP, visit their website, humaneanimalrescue.org/

Along with the Hounds' visit to HARP, players also took trips to see the work done by community heroes at a few other local nonprofits, including 412 Food Rescue, the McGuire Memorial and the Ronald McDonald House. Clips from those visits and more about those organizations can be found on the Riverhounds' YouTube channel and other social media platforms.

Being a community hero takes incredible self-sacrifice, unwavering dedication and great belief in a mission or group. For those steadfast individuals who make this daily commitment, the Hounds send their thanks for making our city a better place and hope to see them at Highmark Stadium to celebrate Community Heroes Night.

One thing Griffin has learned about his role as a leader in the community is that every step forward, or even a half-step, can make a real change in a fellow Yinzer's life.

"Just being there to give a hand, give food, doing what you can to just make the community better - that's all you can really do," he said.

Join us this Saturday, the 13th, to celebrate the incredible work of Pittsburgh's community heroes, and learn more about what you can do to ignite change in your community by following along with our journey on social media.

In addition to Community Heroes Night, Hounds players all season have been supporting many nonprofits through the Play for Change initiative, which gives back to the community through ticket sales. To buy tickets for Community Heroes Night this Saturday, or any future Hounds match, purchase through one of their links on the Play for Change page.

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United Soccer League Championship Stories from September 9, 2025


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