New England Patriots players wasted no time after the bye week, getting back into town and back into the community this week.

From shopping sprees with quarterback Drake Maye to an event with the entire offensive line, players overwhelmingly took initiative to give back throughout the region.

Wide receiver DeMario Douglas wasted no time at all when he got back to Foxborough, joined by quarterback Drake Maye and two-time Patriots Super Bowl champion Rob Ninkovich to host a unique "Mentorship in Action" flag football event with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts and Gillette.

Children participated with the Patriots for drills, skills clinics, a speaking program, and friendly flag football games at Gillette Stadium on Sunday.

It's a blessing to be out here," said Douglas. "Just to see all these kids smiling and excited."

After that event had wrapped up, Douglas went back into the stadium to attend the annual Gingerbread House party put on by Friends of the Children – a nonprofit he represented for the NFL's My Cause My Cleats initiative that provides mentorship to at-risk youth.

Douglas' custom cleats worn in Week 13 were designed by kids who benefit from Friends of Children programs. On Sunday, he joined more of those children in making gingerbread houses and leading a dance-off.

Patriots tight end and Walter Payton Man of the Year Award nominee Hunter Henry kept the giving going on Monday, hosting a party for local foster children featuring food, games, and gifts.

It was his fourth-annual holiday party for Communities For People, a local foster care organization that the Henry family has partnered with over and over since he arrived in New England.

Here's how some of their other Patriots teammates gave back to the community this week:

At YMCA, Garrett Bradbury leads offensive line in volunteer opportunity while Brenden Schooler visits integration program

The Patriots offensive line has made ritual of their weekly dinners together. This week, they met up twice: once for dinner, and once to give back at the Hockomock Area YMCA.

As a unit, 12 players donated $5,000 to the YMCA to purchase gifts for young adults in foster care, hoping to ensure that older kids aren't overlooked this holiday season.

"We had little stations and had some guys writing cards, some guys bagging gifts, so it was like a little workshop," said Morgan Moses.

"I think we came up with the idea on a break we had one day, and we wanted to do something different, and Garrett got out in front about it to get us all together. We're so close as a group. We do a lot of things off the field together and operate as one unit. So to be able to do something like that so kids of all ages wake up with a gift under their tree – it was a great day."

This overlapped with another event teammate Brenden Schooler was hosting down the hall, with the YMCA's integration initiative for children, teens, and young adults with special needs.

"Tonight we decorated gingerbread houses and decorated tags for presents," said Schooler. "It was a fun night tonight. We had Raising Canes for dinner and I really enjoyed myself. I'm happy for everyone who got to come out tonight."

Drake Maye holds private shopping spree for children of the Boys & Girls Club of Pawtucket

A group of kids at the Boys & Girls Club of Pawtucket thought they were going on a standard field trip Tuesday evening, when they were surprised by Maye at the North Attleboro JCPenny store.

The star quarterback gave each of the 20 children a $200 gift card to spend, and they all left with a brand new pair of Nike sneakers.

Maye and his wife, Ann Michael, assisted the kids as personal shoppers with full reign of the store. They bought clothes, toys, and almost cleaned the department store out of Patriots steel tumbler cups.

Caedan Wallace, Terrell Jennings toy drives round out week of giving

Patriots running back Terrell Jennings traveled to the North Shore Mall in Peabody to join an annual toy drive hosted by the Dynasty Sports store to benefit the Peabody Police Department. Jennings met fans, posed for photos, and signed autographs at the event for the cause.

On Wednesday evening, offensive lineman Caedan Wallace brought gifts and donated $3,000 to Heading Home – a Boston-based organization that provides shelter and support services to those experiencing homelessness. At the organization's Lowell, Mass., shelter, Wallace handed Heading Home the check and distributed gifts to 137 children.