Pittsburgh Riverhounds midfielders Kenardo Forbes and Robbie Mertz will be talking soccer and signing autographs from 4 to 6 p.m. July 17 at SpectroDolce Confectionary inside Monroeville Mall.

The club’s mascot AMO will be present, and patrons will enjoy sweet treats and activities. SpectroDolce will be revealing a new milkshake and Belgian waffle in honor of the Riverhounds.

The event is part of the Riverhounds’ community initiative, “Hounds Play For Change.” The soccer club introduced the program in which players partner with a nonprofit organization of their choosing. Funds for the group are raised through home game ticket sales.

The Autism Employment Network came to mind immediately for Monroeville resident Forbes, who is in his seventh year with the Riverhounds. The Jamaican native began the season with 192 appearances, the third highest in the soccer club’s history.

Pittsburgh native Robbie Mertz had a close relative who was identified as being on the spectrum.

“It made an impression on me. I knew that I wanted to support something in our community that worked with individuals on the spectrum,” said Mertz, who is also a board member for the USL Players’ Association. “My aunt helped me research some nonprofits and we learned about the work that Autism Employment Network and SpectroDolce are doing.”

According to Debbie Iszauk, marketing specialist for Autism Employment Network and SpectroDolce, the organization started as a pilot project in 2018.

Owner Bryan Kiger is a leader in the adult autism community, empowering adults on the spectrum to live independently through life skills, coaching, counseling and vocational programs. Additionally, the Autism Employment Network strives to educate employers on how to successfully assimilate individuals with autism into the workforce.

SpectroDolce is a training center for adults with wide-ranging neurodiversity. The retail sweet store is a place where individuals can gain real-life work experience and job readiness skills, with the goal of transitioning to a career at one of their member companies.

The sweet shop sells Perry’s ice cream and milkshakes, chocolate covered strawberries and pretzels, truffles, gourmet popcorn, Belgian waffles and 20 different flavors of locally made fudge.

For additional information on the Autism Employment Network, contact Bryan Kiger at bryan.kiger@progresscity.net.

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