On Saturday, former Steelers outside linebacker Joey Porter and his wife, Christy, officially opened the Jasmine Nyree Campus in the Sheraden section of Pittsburgh, the fourth location of a center named after their daughter who was born with severe autism.
The campus offers services for adults with developmental issues as well as the entire Sheraden community, including the main portion, The Dr. Philip Birdine Learning Center.
"We have been doing this for a while now," Porter told Teresa Varley of Steelers.com. "To open up a new campus, in Pittsburgh, and bring awareness to what is needed, is special. This is home for us. My kids graduated from high school here. There is no better place to do it. To be in the position to give back, help people who can't help themselves, and do this for my daughter Jasmine, it comes full circle.
"We wanted to help the ones who are underserved as well, help the kids, have after-school programs, keep them engaged. We want to make sure the streets don't grab them. Anything you can do to help is what we are trying to do."
The Porters also revealed the Jerome Bettis Gym and the Dan Rooney Basketball Court at the grand opening.
"What they are doing is for the community," Bettis said. "The goal is to support and create opportunities that might not otherwise be possible. I am so impressed with what everything Joey and Christy have done so far and what their commitment is. It means the world they are doing this because of their daughter, and instead of just dealing with what she is going through, they are helping the needs of just more than themselves. That is a totally selfless thing to do.
"It's a tremendous honor to be a part of it, to have the gym in my name. It means the world to me that they would even think to put my name on that. It's special to me. And to have the Dan Rooney Basketball Court is amazing because of what he stood for, who he was as a man, a father."
Mike Tomlin also made a statement on Twitter yesterday about being at the grand opening of the Jasmine Nyree Campus and praised the Porters for the tremendous work that they’re doing in the community.
“Amazing work is being done by Joey and Christy Porter at the Jasmine Nyree Campus in Pittsburgh. Was honored to be at their grand opening today to see it all first hand.”