FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – On Tuesday, September 15, the Kraft Family and New England Patriots Foundation celebrated the 2026 Myra Kraft Community MVP Award Winners. They recognized 26 volunteers for their contributions to the New England community at an awards ceremony at Gillette Stadium. In total, $275,000 in donations were distributed to the nonprofits represented by each volunteer. Twenty-five organizations each received $10,000 and William's Be Yourself Challenge received this year's grand prize of $25,000.

Since 1998, the Kraft family and the New England Patriots Foundation have been recognizing volunteers for going above and beyond to give back to their communities through the Myra Kraft Community MVP Awards program.

"Throughout New England, extraordinary individuals are strengthening their communities through selfless acts of service," said Robert Kraft, Chairman and CEO of the Patriots. "My late wife, Myra, of blessed memory, believed that each of us has a responsibility to help others and leave our communities better than we found them. This year's honorees embody that spirit through their compassion, generosity and unwavering commitment to those they serve. We are proud to recognize them with the Myra Kraft Community MVP Awards and celebrate the meaningful difference they make every day."

Gillette, a longtime supporter of the New England Patriots and a cornerstone partner of the Patriots Foundation, served as the presenting sponsor for this year's program. On hand to congratulate the award winners were Patriots, College and Pro Football Hall of Famer and Patriots Executive Director of Community Affairs Andre Tippett and Gillette's VP of Communications & Community Affairs, Global Grooming, Kara Buckley.

"We are honored to recognize this year's Myra Kraft Community MVPs, whose generosity, dedication, and leadership help create stronger, more connected communities," said Kara Buckley, Vice President of Community Affairs at P&G Gillette. "Each honoree reflects the spirit of service that Myra Kraft championed and demonstrates how one person's actions can positively impact countless others. At Gillette, we are proud to support and celebrate those who bring out the best in people, and we thank the Kraft family and the New England Patriots Foundation for continuing this meaningful tradition."

Susie Shaw of Carlisle, MA was recognized as one of this year's honorees and presented with the grand prize $25,000 donation for William's Be Yourself Challenge.

"Being selected as a Myra Kraft Community MVP is an incredible honor, especially because this recognition celebrates something I believe so deeply: that ordinary people can create meaningful change simply by choosing to show up for others," said Shaw. "This award may have my name on it, but it belongs to the hundreds of people who have given their time, energy, ideas, and hearts to this work. I am incredibly grateful to the Patriots Foundation for recognizing what we are building and for helping us continue to create a community where grieving families know they do not have to do this alone."

Through William's Be Yourself Challenge (WBYC), Susie Shaw has significantly improved the lives of children, families, and community members by addressing an often overlooked issue: childhood grief. Nationally, one in eleven children will experience the death of a parent or sibling before the age of eighteen, yet many communities lack accessible resources or supportive spaces where young people can process loss. After the death of her son William, Shaw recognized this gap and committed herself to ensuring grieving families would not have to navigate loss alone.

Through the organization she founded, Shaw created programs that foster connection, healing, and education within her community. WBYC initiatives bring people together to acknowledge grief openly and provide supportive environments where children and families feel seen and understood. Community gatherings such as the Brighten the Night remembrance vigil allow families to honor loved ones publicly, while youth-focused initiatives encourage resilience, kindness, and peer support.

Shaw has also expanded the organization's impact through education. She regularly organizes lectures and conversations on mental health and childhood bereavement, equipping parents, educators, and community leaders with practical tools to better support grieving children.

Her leadership has been especially meaningful during moments of community tragedy. When three Concord-Carlisle High School students died in a devastating car accident, Shaw stepped forward to help guide the community through the loss. She organized and hosted a community forum focused on how to support grieving families and help young people navigate grief. By providing compassionate leadership and practical resources, she helped parents, educators, and students better understand how to care for one another during an incredibly difficult time.

Through these initiatives, Shaw has mobilized hundreds of students, families, and volunteers to support those navigating grief. Her work is helping reshape how communities respond to loss by encouraging openness, understanding, and collective care.

"After my son William died, I saw firsthand how deeply his death affected not only our family, but his friends and our entire community. William's Be Yourself Challenge started as a way to support his friends as they grieved him, while giving them a way to remember William, say his name, and carry his spirit forward," said Shaw. "Over time, that small, community effort grew into something much bigger: a nonprofit dedicated to supporting grieving children and families and helping communities better understand how to show up after loss.

For me, volunteering is about showing up. So many people showed up for our family after William died, and I know the difference that kind of support can make. This work is also one of the ways I continue to parent William and carry his life and his values forward."

The 2026 Myra Kraft Community MVP winners range in age from 17 to 93 years old and represent almost all the New England states. The selected nonprofits provide support for many causes, including sports, healthcare, hunger and nutrition, mentoring, social justice, human services, education, domestic violence, and more.

Since its inception, the Myra Kraft Community MVP Awards program has recognized more than 550 volunteers and donated more than $4 million to support nonprofit organizations across New England.

The Kraft family and the New England Patriots Foundation received over 150 applications this year from nonprofit organizations looking to recognize their outstanding volunteers. Nominations open every February and the awards are open to all nonprofit organizations in the New England region.

For more information on the Myra Kraft Community MVP Awards, please visit www.patriots.com/community.

Below is a complete list of the 2026 Myra Kraft Community MVP Award Winners: