Andrew McCutchen joins Yinzgiving to prepare, deliver Thanksgiving meals

Andrew McCutchen will join 180 volunteers helping to package and deliver more than 2,000 Thanksgiving meals across Pittsburgh as part of an event called Yinzgiving.

“It means a lot that we’re able to participate in something like this,” McCutchen told TribLive on Friday. “It’s giving; it’s helping; it’s being a part of something that’s greater than yourself.”

McCutchen, 38, said he plans on bringing his wife and four kids to Yinzgiving.

“I think I’m most excited … just to have them participate in something where you’re actually helping others and giving back,” he said. “That will be kind of a first for them.”

All Yinzgiving meals will be prepared on Thanksgiving Day by the team at Dive Bar and Grille North Hills at 3385 Babcock Blvd. in Ross. The turkeys will be smoked at Pittsburgh BBQ Company on Banksville Road.

Rachel Maga, Yinzgiving coordinator, said the event is a family effort.

“Yinzgiving is deeply personal for me,” she said. “Growing up, my mom made sure every holiday was spent giving back — whether it was serving meals at a local nursing home or finding other ways to help those in need.”

She was inspired to carry on that tradition with her own family, and now her two sons look forward to Yinzgiving “all year long.”

“We have kids as young as 5 years old helping alongside their parents and grandparents,” she said. “It’s such a meaningful way to start your Thanksgiving morning — giving back and teaching our children the importance of helping others in our city.”

This year will mark the fifth annual Yinzgiving meal distribution event that will deliver the hot, homemade meals directly to the homes of families and individuals in need.

It will be McCutchen’s first time participating.

“I was asked, so I was like, ‘Sure, I’ll do it,’ ” he said. “Having the opportunity, especially when it comes to helping others — I love to be involved and do things like that.”

He will be joined in the kitchen by Roberto Clemente Jr.

The meals this year will include many of the traditional Thanksgiving trimmings, including:

• Over 700 pounds of turkey
• Over 650 pounds of real mashed potatoes
• 1,400 freshly baked rolls from Mediterra Bakehouse
• Homemade gravy
• All the traditional sides
• Pumpkin pie

Maga said the meals will be distributed to families across Allegheny and Washington counties, with requests coming from school districts, church groups and local nonprofits.

As a baseball star, McCutchen believes it’s important to give back.

“If you play the game long enough, you have a lot of eyes on you, lot of opportunities to do stuff outside of sport,” he said. “I think it’s very important as a player to be able to do those things … it’s real easy to say no, but it makes a big difference if you’re able to say yes.”

Yinzgiving started in 2020 amid the pandemic as a way to get Thanksgiving meals to elderly people in isolation. But it’s continued to grow each year, becoming a Pittsburgh tradition.

“It’s all about bringing a complete, comforting Thanksgiving dinner to those who need it most,” Maga said.