FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (Sept. 14, 2017) - Over the past seven years, the Kraft family and the New England Patriots Foundation have placed a strong emphasis on celebrating volunteerism and honored hundreds of volunteers in the process. Throughout the 2017 season, the foundation will continue its Celebrate Volunteerism initiative by teaming with nonprofit organizations to educate fans about the need for volunteering, highlighting deserving volunteers from across the region and seeking to inspire Patriots fans to become lifelong volunteers.
New England Patriots players, coaches, alumni, cheerleaders and the team mascot, Pat Patriot, will be actively involved in the Celebrate Volunteerism initiative throughout the year. As part of Community Tuesdays, Patriots players can be found in the community each week giving back to children and families.
"So many nonprofit organizations rely on the work of volunteers," said Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft. "We encourage everyone to volunteer and like to highlight those who do the most to positively impact their communities. It's nice to give credit to those who are most deserving and to reward the nonprofits they represent."
Every week throughout the season, the foundation will present the "Patriots Difference Maker of the Week" award, which recognizes deserving volunteers who go above and beyond to support their local community and nonprofit organizations. Fifteen individuals will be named Patriots Difference Makers throughout the season. Fans are encouraged to nominate a "Patriots Difference Maker" by visiting www.patriots.com/community.
The outstanding volunteers will be recognized on the Patriots website and in print materials, including Patriots Football Weekly and Patriots GameDay magazine. They will also be recognized during a special ceremony at the Patriots final regular season home game against the New York Jets on December 31.
For more information about the Celebrate Volunteerism initiative, including pictures and videos of Patriots players giving back to the community, resources and information about volunteering, or the "Patriots Difference Maker of the Week" award, visit www.patriots.com/community.
ABOUT THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS FOUNDATION
The New England Patriots Foundation is the nonprofit organization established by Robert Kraft in 1994 to support charitable and philanthropic agencies throughout New England. This support comes in the form of direct grants and the donation of signed memorabilia to charitable causes, and from Patriots players who offer their direct support by appearing at charity functions throughout the year. The Foundation's primary goal is to support programs that aid the youth and families of the New England region by assisting programs that foster cultural diversity, education, family and health. The Foundation has taken special interest in youth programs that encourage education, creativity and development of character.
