National Kidney Foundation Hosting 'Cinema For A Cause' At Avonworth Community Park

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Kidney disease affects 37 million Americans, roughly 15% of the adult population, and millions more are at risk.

The National Kidney Foundation is the leading organization in the effort to fight the disease.

This week, the local branch is taking the public out of the movies in an event called "Cinema For A Cause."

The family-friendly event is scheduled for Thursday, August 12 at 7:00 in Avonworth Community Park and the 90s classic "The Sandlot" will be featured.

National Kidney Foundation Executive Director serving the Alleghenies, Erin Tuladzieck joined KDKA News at 7:30 to tell Meghan Schiller all about the event and the efforts the foundation does to fight kidney disease.

"We are one of 26 offices across the country under the National Kidney Foundation and we exist to help create awareness, prevention, and treatment of kidney disease across the country," she said. "We are a major nonprofit, voluntary health organization. It's through events like 'Cinema For A Cause' that we exist and are here to give back to the patients that need us."

This year's event came about as an alternative due to the pandemic.

"Given our current climate with COVID, we decided to transition our corporate Monopoly tournament to an outdoor, family-friendly event since we could not host the corporate Monopoly tournament at The Rivers due to COVID," Tuladzieck said. "This event has really come out, we are looking to showcase "The Sandlot" which is always a 90s favorite movie."

Along with the movie, there will also be food trucks at the event, including Kona Ice and others.

"We're just planning on a full, family-friendly evening," she said.

Even if the weather chooses not to cooperate for an outdoor movie event, there is a backup plan.

"We have a rain date planned, and that's next Tuesday, the 17th," she said.

Tickets can be purchased online on the National Kidney Foundation website, which you can find at this link.

You can also watch Meghan Schiller's full interview with Erin Tuladzieck at this link.