The Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh kicks off a ‘Year of Kindness’ and you can get involved

A year-long initiative has begun at the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh to collect items for those in need in the Pittsburgh community.

Throughout 2026, the Museum will target a specific community need each month. With help from local partner organizations, they will collect items to help with things like food needs, school supplies, baby supplies and toys.

The month, the “Year of Kindness” begins with a food drive. Here’s how it works: 

Every visitor who brings a nonperishable food item  to the Museum will receive one free admission to apply to their visit that day (limit one adult ticket per family). A collection bin will be available inside the Children’s Museum during open hours. All of the collected items will go to the Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank for distribution.

“We’re excited to launch a full year of giving back to the community and showing kindness to those in need,” says Jane Werner, executive director of Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh. “We’re working with community partners to better understand what specific items are needed and when they’re needed.”

Many Kidsburgh readers may already be familiar with the Museum’s annual Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood Sweater Drive, which has collected and distributed sweaters for more than 25 years. And in 2023, the Museum’s diaper drive collected more than 27,000 diapers for the Western Pennsylvania Diaper Bank.

If you’d like to help out this month or during the months ahead, click here for more information and to see the list of most needed food items.