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VOLUNTEERISM

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Patriots Celebrate Volunteerism in 2024

The Celebrate Volunteerism initiative aims to share examples of dedicated volunteers, build awareness of the need for volunteering, identify and educate others about volunteer opportunities and inspire New Englanders to follow the Kraft family's example of becoming lifelong volunteers.

Throughout the 2024 season, the Kraft family, the New England Patriots Foundation and Gillette celebrated volunteers that work tirelessly to support children and families in need throughout the New England region, while also encouraging Patriots fans to get involved in their communities.

Each week throughout the season, the Patriots selected a "Patriots Difference Maker of the Week." You can learn more about the 2024 winners below.

Chairman and CEO of the Kraft Group and the New England Patriots Robert Kraft takes a group photo with the 2024 Patriots Difference Makers of the Week.
Photo by David Silverman
Chairman and CEO of the Kraft Group and the New England Patriots Robert Kraft takes a group photo with the 2024 Patriots Difference Makers of the Week.

Click here to learn about the 2024 Patriots Difference Maker of the Year

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Patriots Difference Makers of the Week

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Ana Medina Pilar

Dream Big!
Needham, Mass

Dream Big! was founded in 2010 in Massachusetts to help girls and young women from low-income situations to overcome financial barriers that prevent them from participating in sports and physical activities. Their mission is to help girls and young women from economically disadvantaged communities to achieve their dreams by providing them with the equipment, sports attire, program and college showcase fees and leadership training needed to participate in sports and physical activities that contribute to their health, education and overall well-being.

As a junior in high school, Ana's coach nominated her for the annual Dream Big! Inspirational Leadership Award and she was selected as the honoree for her leadership and success in the classroom. Ana was awarded a scholarship to attend a basketball camp over the summer and her team was awarded new equipment. Since then, she has remained a key volunteer for Dream Big! in many capacities.

Since graduating high school and college and becoming a nurse, she has remained a volunteer and has found new capacities to help. She has helped sort donations, spoken at the annual leadership conference and has raised more than $8,000 running on the nonprofit's Boston Marathon team. She is the first alumni to become a member of the national advisory board.

Ana has been one of the most committed, caring and positive volunteers with the organization. She serves as a constant spokesperson to help recruit new volunteers, donors and athletes. Ana has truly helped to change the lives of thousands of girls and young women through the countless hours she has committed to Dream Big! over the years.

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Jeff McGowan

Empower, Inc.
Cohasset, Mass.

Empower's mission is to empower, support, and connect children and young adults who have experienced the loss of a parent. Childhood bereavement is a severely overlooked and underserved community, and Jeff is helping shed light on this by sharing his story of loss and the impact that it has had on him.

As Jeff shares, he began using alcohol as a coping mechanism as he tried to "buck up," as boys are often taught, and ended up with a DUI. Soon after the DUI, he found a community in Alcoholics Anonymous, and he has now been sober for more than 25 years. Understanding the impact loss has on boys and young men, he encouraged the founder of Empower to expand their work to serve all children. To be more inclusive, the nonprofit changed their name from EmpowerHER to Empower.

Jeff's volunteer roles include recruiting male mentors, serving as a spokesperson and lead ambassador, sharing his story of loss, and serving as a mentor himself. Jeff completes the intakes with each newly enrolled family and has met with countless surviving guardians and children across New England.

He coined the term "Share the Weight," a tagline Empower uses to recruit male mentors. This past year Jeff spearheaded Empower's inaugural Father's Day event in Boston, serving as the chair of a 10-plus person volunteer committee. Jeff serves as an incredible, invaluable spokesperson for Empower as he so frequently speaks about the great work Empower does in the community and urges others to join as volunteers in various capacities.

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Marilyn Price Spivack

Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts
Westborough, Mass.

The Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts (BIA-MA)'s mission is to create a better future for individuals with brain injury and their families through advocacy, education, prevention, research, and support. Marilyn has many roles volunteering for the brain injury community. She served for the last 27 years on BIA-MA's Board of Directors and is one of the most devoted volunteers to improving the lives of those with brain injury in the state.

She led the advocacy efforts for the establishment of the Statewide Head Injury Program (SHIP) under the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission (MRC). She worked with both the legislative and executive branches to stress the need for brain injury programs and services. SHIP serves approximately 1,200 individuals each year. At the federal level, she advocated for the passage of the Traumatic Brain Injury Act of 1996. At the time, the TBI Act was the only federal legislation that specifically addressed TBI prevention, research, and service delivery through grants to states.

Over the years, Marilyn recruited board members with her connections in the medical field and as the Neurotrauma Outreach Coordinator at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital. She connected with other acute care hospitals, rehabilitation hospitals and others in the medical field to support BIA-MA. At Spaulding, she encouraged brain injury survivors, family members and loved ones to connect with BIA-MA.

At 89 years old, she is known as the "God Mother of Brain Injury" and has worked for more than 50 years to improve the lives of those experiencing brain injuries. She advocated for her daughter to live in a residential home where she receives ongoing services for adults living with brain injury to live in the community.

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Christina Hurley

Less Leg More Heart
Nashua, N.H.

The mission of Less Leg More Heart is to help amputees transition from the hospital to home after limb loss. They provide advocacy with medical, home fit up, education, build ramps, purchase running blades, help with physical and emotional support, provide care packages and much more.

Not only is Christina a volunteer, but she is also the founder. When she lost her leg, she suffered greatly during her transition from the hospital to home. She realized that there weren't enough resources available for the amputee community and wanted to make a difference.

Christina works a minimum of 40 hours a week, educating, fundraising, social media, advocates for many. She works endless hours to help make people's lives easier. To be able to help more individuals, she has partnered with other organizations to support the mission. Christina works hard to make apply for grants and sponsorships to be able to help amputees and their families.

She has helped people who couldn't get into their homes by adding ramps. She has sat with many people so they do not feel alone and know they have the support of the organization. She raises money to send underprivileged people to the Amputee Coalition. She helps with finding the proper care, so that their physical wellbeing is being met for any type of prosthetic needed. Christina puts her whole heart and soul into the organization.

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Ya-Ching Huang

Good Shepherd Community Care
Newton, Mass.

Good Shepherd is dedicated to the delivery of the highest quality of care, support and education for those experiencing or anticipating serious illness and loss. They are committed to enhancing the quality of remaining life, so that those in the final stage of life can live as fully, independently, and comfortably as possible.

Ya-Ching has become an invaluable member of the Pediatric Palliative volunteer team. Shortly after finishing her training, she was paired with a family who was managing the care of their seriously ill two-year-old child. Ya-Ching stepped into a companionship role with them, showing up consistently and offering her time and kindness. Ya-Ching never ceased to offer her support to the family and continued to ensure they were aware of her willingness and interest in being a part of their support network.

Not only has Ya-Ching stepped into a consistent, compassionate, and authentic role as a volunteer in-home with a family, she has dedicated her studies and time to improving the field of pediatric palliative care. As a Boston University Sociology PhD student studying the experience of families, patients, and clinicians in the palliative care model, she has begun working with the pediatric palliative care team to push forward palliative care initiatives and understanding.

Ya-Ching recently joined the bereavement support team to follow patient families in the Asian hospice program. As a multi-lingual person, fluent in English, Mandarin and Taiwanese, she is able to connect with families during difficult times of grieving to support them in their native language with nuance, humility, and awareness of how grief can impact all parts of one's life.

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Edwin Candelario Sr.

Lawtown Boxing Gym Inc.
Lawrence, Mass.

More than 15 years ago, Edwin founded Lawtown Boxing Gym with a vision to transform the lives of young people in his community. Their mission is to offer a positive outlet through the discipline and structure of boxing, instilling values such as respect, responsibility, and perseverance. Motivated by a desire to provide a safe haven from the streets, drugs, and trouble, he established the gym as a place where discipline, structure, and positive values could thrive.

Edwin's passion for boxing and commitment to youth development drove him to create a space where young people could learn not just the sport, but also life skills that would set them up for future success. Their experienced coaches teach boxing fundamentals to people of all skill levels while emphasizing education, healthy living, and community involvement. Through mentorship and guidance, they empower gym members to make positive choices and set ambitious goals.

He has personally mentored countless young athletes, teaching them the fundamentals of boxing while also guiding them in their personal and academic lives. His dedication to each individual's growth has helped many stay on track, avoid negative influences and pursue their dreams. Through his efforts, Lawtown Boxing Gym has become a beacon of hope and opportunity, helping to shape a brighter future for the youth of the community.

Under Edwin's leadership, the gym has become more than just a training facility; it is a community hub where positive values are cultivated. Edwin's impact extends beyond the boxing ring, forging partnerships with local schools, businesses and organizations to provide additional support and resources for the gym's members. By fostering a sense of belonging and purpose, they deter young people from risky behaviors and help them realize their full potential. The gym is free of charge to be accessible to all.

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Vito LaMura

SeniorCare Inc.
Gloucester, Mass.

SeniorCare services elders and disabled adults in nine North Shore communities, supporting their independence at home or in their chosen living environments while remaining integrated in their communities. With over 50 years of service, SeniorCare Inc.'s team and volunteers have supported thousands of older adults and their families.

A volunteer of 25 years, Vito volunteers his time, working in multiple programs at SeniorCare, and serves on the SeniorCare Board and Advisory Council. Vito delivers meals to homebound seniors, bringing them a nutritious meal, a smile, and a little conversation. Sometimes, these visits are the only contact a senior will have during the day, so these visits also function as wellness checks. They eagerly look forward to his visits.

Vito drives elders to and from their medical appointments, escorting them, waiting while they are in their appointments, picking up prescriptions, and bringing them home safely. He assists elders with organizing their mail, helping them pay their bills, and educating them about scams and fraud. Family members who may not live close to their family have told Vito that just knowing their loved one is receiving regular meals and social interaction through Meals on Wheels provides them with peace of mind.

SeniorCare could not support these invaluable programs without wonderful volunteers like Vito. He is an incredibly dedicated, caring human being, willing to help wherever and whenever. He has spent time volunteering for many organizations over the years. Vito continues to live in the service of others, which exemplifies the true spirit of volunteerism.

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Jiani Johnson

Science Club for Girls
Cambridge, Mass.

Science Club for Girls' (SCFG) mission is to foster excitement, confidence, and literacy in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) for girls and gender-expansive youth from underrepresented communities. From one club for girls in kindergarten, SCFG has evolved over 30 years to become a leader in experiential STEM learning, girls programs and mentoring, and diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM.

Jiani, a 20-year-old bioengineering student at Harvard University, has served as a volunteer mentor weekly for the past two years at the Science Club at Prospect Hill Academy in Cambridge. She is highly skilled at making STEM learning fun, exciting, and accessible to children. She goes above and beyond, helping to recruit other student volunteers and assisting with any task that needs to be done.

Quite often, you can find Jiani engrossed in conversation with a group of girls who are excitedly showing off their experiments. They all especially want Jiani to see what they have done, be it a chemical reaction they have created or a model bridge they have built. This is because Jiani's enthusiasm for STEM is contagious. You can see the girls in her group light up in her presence.

As a Black female bioengineer, Jiani shows girls from underrepresented communities that they too have a place in STEM. This matters because careers in STEM offer a pathway out of poverty and economic stability. She builds such a strong sense of community among participants, many of whom, because of the relationships developed with Jiani and the other mentors, return to SCFG's programs year after year and begin to see SCFG as a home away from home.

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Gail Dailey

My Brother's Keeper
North Easton, Mass

My Brother's Keeper delivers furniture, food and Christmas gifts free of charge to children and adults in need across Southeastern Massachusetts. Gail has been a dedicated volunteer at My Brother's Keeper for nearly five years, making a significant impact with her contributions.

She uses her creativity and enthusiasm to transform simple items into thoughtful, boutique-worthy gifts to be delivered in addition to their core programs of food and furniture assistance. Gail went above and beyond by leading a major initiative for Mother's Day 2024, organizing over 500 gifts for Mothers in the weeks leading up to the holiday. Her initiative and enthusiasm inspired others to donate and volunteer, amplifying the project's success.

Gail dedicates extensive time during the Christmas season, volunteering 12 hours daily from Thanksgiving through Christmas to help distribute gifts to over 3,000 families. Gail's readiness to tackle a wide range of tasks-from administrative duties to hands-on activities-reflects her commitment and flexibility.

She stands out as a volunteer due to her exceptional creativity, proactive approach, and infectious enthusiasm. Gail embodies the mission of the organization through her actions, bringing love and hope to those she serves daily. With Gail's help, My Brother's Keeper delivers food, furniture, and Christmas assistance to more than 18,000 local households serving over 62,000 adults, children and seniors each year.

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Ellie Grimm

The Confetti Foundation
Middletown, R.I.

The Confetti Foundation provides birthday parties to hospitalized children, receiving treatment at an oncology clinic or hospice facility. The foundation was started with the hope that families will be able to shift their focus from their child's sickness for just 30 minutes and celebrate. Ellie has volunteered with The Confetti Foundation since the organization was founded.

At seven years old, she understood the importance of a birthday party. She has made birthday cards, suggested birthday themes for kids, packed boxes, shipped boxes, hosted party supply drives and asked peers to volunteer with her and set up parties in the hospital. Now at 17 years old, she has shown her dedication to the mission helping to celebrate 20,000 birthdays in the 10 years she has been a volunteer.

Many kids volunteer because it is a requirement at their school, but not Ellie. She shows up to volunteer with the goal of spreading awareness of the mission of The Confetti Foundation among her peers and ensure all children receive a proper birthday party if they are hospitalized.

What sets Ellie apart is her commitment to volunteering. From volunteering throughout her childhood, she has decided she wants to make a career of it. She has had the opportunity to volunteer for events with professional sports teams and has decided she would like to pursue a career working for a team's foundation.

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Lenny Young

Read to a Child
Wellesley, Mass.

The mission of Read to a Child is to foster a love of reading, improve literacy skills and support socio-emotional well-being in students from under-resourced communities. Through this program students improve listening comprehension, their reading progress and increase enthusiasm for books.

Lenny has been volunteering with Read to a Child for over 20 years. As a reading mentor, Lenny uses interactive read aloud strategies and discusses story content, asks open-ended questions about story events, explains vocabulary, and points out features of print.

Every Thursday, Lenny travels to a school in Chelsea and reads aloud to his mentee, who he will be partnered with for four years. He is a passionate volunteer, really taking the time to connect with his students. Lenny makes an impact on the students he reads to and the community as a whole by reading aloud and mentoring one-on-one to a student every week.

By using books as a tool to discuss social and emotional learning components, students are able to make connections to the books they are reading, learn from the characters and apply it to their own lives and situations. Lenny actively recruits new volunteers, frequently hosting information sessions at his workplace. He has made introductions to partner companies and visited them to help recruit their employees to volunteer. Lenny is passionate about the work he does and proud of the impact he has made.

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Theresa M. O'Bryant

Agassiz Village
Framingham, Mass.

Agassiz Village offers children aged 8-17 from underserved communities the opportunity, in a summer camp environment, to develop and practice leadership and life skills that will impact their future in education, family, career, and in their communities. 25% of campers are homeless or in foster care.

Theresa grew up in an economically disadvantaged family in Mattapan. She experienced the same social and emotional trauma that the children attending Agassiz Village today have experienced. Theresa did not always have the same opportunities as others from more affluent communities, but that did not stop her. She is just one example of why the organization works so diligently all year for their campers.

Theresa's journey at Agassiz began in 1975, when she first attended camp as a 13-year-old girl. Upon successfully completing sessions in the overnight and teen advancement programs, Theresa returned as a counselor-in-training, earning her certification as a cabin counselor to help other Agassiz children begin their journeys. She continued her association annually thereafter, volunteering during Alumni Weekend to prepare camp for new generations of campers, as well as spearheading grassroots fundraising campaigns to ensure funding for those seeking to attend Agassiz.

When Agassiz Village turns 90 in 2025, Theresa O'Bryant will also celebrate a milestone: 50 years of participation and volunteerism at Agassiz. Theresa leveraged her experiences at Agassiz Village to achieve post-secondary gains and build a thriving career. She is now the Board President, and her strategic leadership has significantly enhanced their capacity to advance meaningful social change.

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Jane Long

Perkins School for the Blind
Watertown, Mass.

Founded in 1829, the mission at Perkins School for the Blind is to help children with disabilities find their place in the world. For 40 years, Perkins has been the sole provider of early intervention services for children under the age of three with vision loss in the state of Massachusetts.

At 83 years old, Jane is on the floor teaching and playing with children at the Perkins infant and toddler group every Tuesday. For 20 years, breaking only for the pandemic, she's helped hundreds of children with complex disabilities learn through play while unlocking their true potential.

One of the many children who experienced the transformative power of Jane's work was born prematurely with cerebral palsy, epilepsy and retinopathy at 24 weeks. The child began attending weekly groups at 13 months, instantly connecting with Jane. After two years of working with Jane, the child gained greater mobility in their left arm and learned to sing, count and speak. Jane's unwavering commitment, even getting on the floor and playing with children just days after hip surgery, sends the message that the adult they're paired with loves and supports them.

Over the years, Jane has also volunteered for the Braille Talking Book Library and supported students during adaptive physical education classes, track meets and other events. Because of Jane, families witness the transformative power of play, trust Perkins, and begin to see what is possible for their precious children who are working to find their place in the world.

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Scott Evans

NH Musculoskeletal Institute's Safe Sports Network
Manchester, N.H.

The mission of N.H. Musculoskeletal Institute's Safe Sports Network (SSN) is to promote and provide a safe sports environment for young athletes by ensuring they have access to professional sports medicine care. Serving over 6,000 student athletes annually in the greater Manchester, N.H. area, SSN is dedicated to protecting children so they can experience the many physical, emotional and social benefits of sports participation.

Scott is a dedicated volunteer whose work has profoundly impacted the lives of thousands of young athletes. As a licensed physician's assistant specializing in orthopedics and sports medicine, Scott brings his extensive expertise to the sidelines of high-risk sports like football and hockey.

For nearly 30 years, he has been a go-to resource for the Safe Sports Network, ensuring that secondary school athletes receive the same level of immediate care and attention as professional and collegiate athletes. Despite his demanding full-time schedule as a physician's assistant and a parent of seven children, Scott is always there to provide medical expertise-nights, weekends, and even after long hours in the clinic and operating room.

Scott's commitment goes beyond just treating injuries. In addition to his direct care, Scott ensures that all athletes-regardless of their financial situation-have access to high-quality healthcare. He coordinates free sports physicals and care for students facing financial hardship, ensuring that no child is excluded from experiencing the many physical and emotional benefits of sports due to lack of resources.

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Anna Krotinger

Urbanity Dance
Boston, Mass.

Urbanity Dance is a nonprofit arts organization with a mission to inspire, engage, and empower individuals and communities through the art of dance and movement. Shaped by community need, each class, program, and performance brings individuals together to experience dance in a safe space that promotes kindness, compassion, empathy and health.

Anna has been a model volunteer at Urbanity Dance since 2019, serving as a Teaching Artist and Group Facilitator of its weekly Dance with Parkinson's (DWP) classes. DWP is Urbanity's flagship community program that brings together people diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and/or other neurodegenerative disorders and their caregivers through movement. These free 60-minute hybrid sessions combat isolation, improve quality of life, address mental health concerns and decrease disability symptoms by keeping individuals moving within a welcoming, safe environment.

Over the past three years, Anna has also used her knowledge from teaching DWP to develop new Urbanity experiences for other communities who may benefit, such as a class at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute for those in treatment for cancer; a class at McLean Hospital focused on the recovery of patients with mental illness; and a class at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital for those who have experienced life altering illness or injury.

As an MD candidate at Harvard Medical School, she brings a unique perspective on dance and medicine. The joy and hope that Urbanity students feel in Anna's classes is palpable, and perhaps more importantly, foster a sense that students are not alone.

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Brian Taylor

Camp Ker-Anna
Cumberland, R.I.

Camp Ker-Anna is a non-profit summer camp in Cumberland, R.I., that provides eight weeks of day camp for children ages 5-13 and four weeks of overnight camp for ages 9-14. Their camperships ensure that every child can enjoy a camp experience regardless of disability, food insecurity, food intolerance or financial constraints.

Brian is the head Cook at Camp Ker-Anna. Overnight camp plays a crucial role in addressing food insecurity by providing nutritious meals and fostering a sense of community. Camp often serves diverse groups, including children from low-income backgrounds, ensuring that every camper has access to healthy, balanced meals. By focusing on fresh, whole ingredients, camp cooks can introduce nutritious options that may not be readily available in campers' home environments.

Creating an inclusive environment, Brian takes the time to actively engage with the campers and encourages shy campers to participate, ensuring everyone feels involved. This not only enhances the camp experience but also empowers campers with knowledge they can carry home. He takes the time to learn every camper's name and their interests, making the children feel valued.

Brian exemplifies adaptability. Whether it's adjusting recipes to accommodate dietary restrictions or responding to unexpected challenges in the kitchen, his problem-solving skills shine. By demonstrating commitment, compassion and creativity, he creates lasting impacts that resonate well beyond the camp experience, showcasing what it truly means to lead with heart.

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Darlene Mersereau

The Sun Will Rise Foundation, Inc.
Braintree, Mass.

The primary focus of The Sun Will Rise Foundation is to provide free peer grief support for those who have experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use related causes. Not only from overdose, but also from suicide, homicide, accident and medical complications due to drug/alcohol use.

A dedicated volunteer with The Sun Will Rise Foundation, Darlene serves as a peer grief support group facilitator, bringing warmth, empathy and steadfast commitment to those impacted by the death of a loved one due to substance use related causes. In her role, Darlene leads the Weymouth group meetings where she fosters an environment of nonjudgmental support, understanding and connection.

Her volunteer work has significantly improved the lives of those in her community. Darlene brings a deep understanding of the unique challenges of this type of bereavement, having lived through her own experiences of loss. By sharing her time and story, she has become a trusted presence and a source of strength for others.

Darlene has a keen sense of when someone may be holding back or struggling in silence, and she gently encourages them to share without any pressure. She encourages individuals to take steps forward in their grief journey, helping them find hope in the company of others who understand their struggles. Her supportive approach has turned many hesitant first steps into transformative journeys of healing and connection.

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