6abc, Pat's Steaks team up to sell cheesesteaks for charity

SOUTH PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- There are two things we couldn't love more in this amazing city of Brotherly Love - charity and cheesesteaks of course.

And now there is a delicious and important event celebrating both.

6abc has created our very own cheesesteak with the iconic creator of the famous sandwich to raise money for a very special children's charity.

The event is taking place on Thursday, November 3, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Pat's King of Steaks on the corner of 9th and Passyunk. Alicia Vitarelli is be in the kitchen serving up the steak sandwiches for our Action News viewers!

Pat's is a piece of Philadelphia's culinary history.

The story starts in 1930 with Pat Olivieri, a hot dog vendor who made a steak sandwich and split it with a cabbie.

The cab driver took a bite and said: "This is the sandwich you should make - forget about hot dogs!"

And that was the birth of the steak sandwich.

On November 3, the Olivieri family is helping our 6abc family help tens of thousands of local kids in need with our very own cheesesteak.

The 6abc sandwich is composed of Asiago cheese, bacon and caramelized onions.

100 percent of the sales of each and every one of these cheesesteaks will benefit a very special local charity, Cradles to Crayons, which provides low income and homeless kids in our area with everything they need to feel safe, warm and ready to learn.

"For a lot of them this is the only thing they get all year. A lot of our kids are coming from the most dire situations," said Susan Hight from Cradles to Crayons.

And the need is overwhelming. Right now, more than 12,000 kids are on a wait list for a warm coat.

"Honestly, when a kid doesn't have a warm winter coat or snow boots or shoes they cant go to school, they can't play with their friends in the playground," said Susan.

So, bring your appetite!

"Every sandwich you sell I will match the proceeds - so if you sell a million dollars, I will donate a million dollars," said Frank Olivieri.

And when you come down, we invite you to also bring along some items to donate for Cradles to Crayons.

They will have a bin set up for new socks, underwear and pajamas as well as gently used or new winter gear such as coats and boots all for kids up to 12-years-old.

Stop by Pat's on Thursday, November 3, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. for your 6abc cheesesteak!