Supporting to our nation's servicemembers and veterans is among the six pillars of the New England Patriots Foundation's mission, and especially throughout November, it's a focus of the team's philanthropy.
That giving continued Thursday with the Patriots and team chairman & CEO Robert Kraft hosting the nonprofit Operation Shower at Gillette Stadium in partnership with PepsiCo.
About 30 military moms and military moms-to-be were invited to Foxborough for a group baby shower.
"This is a privilege," Kraft said during the event at Gillette Stadium's Sports Illustrated Pavillion on Thursday afternoon.
"I don't think the military is properly appreciated in this country for what you do. To me this is the greatest country in the world and having new citizens with the right values is so critical. From my family and our whole team at the Patriots, we really appreciate what your families do to keep this country safe."
The women, who are spouses of active duty or deployed members of local military bases, and in some cases, are on active duty themselves, were treated to a catered lunch, raffles, prizes, inspirational speakers, and a curated gift box filled with gifts.
The high-quality baby products were donated by generous companies including PepsiCo, Diaper Genie, Dr. Brown's, Delta Children, and Anglecare in addition to the Patriots Foundation.
Here are other ways the Patriots Foundation gave back to veterans and members of the armed forces:
Pickleball with the National Guard
Every year, a favorite community event for players is the annual Salute to Service Pickleball tournament.
Mack Hollins, Jahlani Tavai, Bryce Barringer, Julian Ashby, Cory Druden and Sebastian Gutierrez all took part in the games Tuesday, getting competitive with 60 service members from the Rhode Island and Massachusetts National Guard at the Kingsbury Club in Medfield, Mass.
Patriots Hall of Fame offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia, an avid pickleball player, made his annual appearance at the event as well.
Video Games with Veterans
This Veteran's Day, the Patriots Foundation tweaked its typical video-gaming event, partnering with Frost Call, a non-profit organization committed to connecting veterans through the power of video games, whether it's online or through live events like last Tuesday's at Gillette Stadium.
Patriots players Brenden Schooler, Marte Mapu, Isaiah Iton, CJ Dippre, and Sebastian Gurierrez spent the evening with more than 25 veterans and their families, eating dinner, gaming, and showing them appreciation.
Patriots host TAPS Families and coat drive for Vets, Coach Marrone visits with Coast Guard Football
At the beginning of the month, the Patriots kicked off its Salute to Service programing by hosting five families who are part of the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS).
The families of the fallen service members were invited to Gillette Stadium on November 1 to watch the Patriots practice, meet the team and coaches, and enjoy a luncheon. They stayed the night for the game the next day, and Patriots players, cheerleaders, and coaches each honored one of the five fallen service members on game day by wearing a photo button or a sticker with initials on the back of their helmet.
Police officers from cities and towns across Massachusetts & Rhode Island were invited to Gillette Stadium on Nov. 12 to pick up buckets filled with a coat, snacks, and other essential items to deliver to areas of the state where with a high-need homeless veteran population.
A total of 80 cities and towns participated in the "Coats4Vets" drive, including 55 police departments, 15 state police troops, and 10 state representatives. A total of 2,467 jackets were handed out during the morning.
Before the Patriots wrapped up their Salute to Service initiatives with Pickleball and Operation Shower, offensive line coach Doug Marrone visited with the United States Coast Guard football team after their walkthrough on the Gillette Stadium Field on November. 12.
