New England Patriots Honor Greenwich Resident With Special Award

GREENWICH, CT — The New England Patriots and their foundation have honored one of Greenwich's own with a special award.

Christine Lai was selected as a 2022 Patriots Difference Maker of the Week for her commitment to Special Education Legal Fund (SELF). As part of the recognition, $5,000 will be donated to support the nonprofit.

"Throughout my life, I have been blessed to be given opportunities to give back," Lai said recently in a news release. "Receiving this recognition is an especially incredible honor for me because of the legacy of the Kraft family and the Patriots Foundation in volunteer work and community service."

Throughout the 2022 season, the Kraft family, the New England Patriots Foundation and Gillette recognized 17 local volunteers with the Patriots Difference Maker of the Week Award. The honorees were celebrated for going above and beyond to support nonprofit organizations in their New England communities.

Along with $5,000 donations, honorees received a pair of tickets to attend the Patriots final regular season home game on Jan. 1 against the Miami Dolphins and participated in a pregame ceremony.

"It is hard to measure or fully appreciate the positive impact that these volunteers regularly make in their communities," said Robert Kraft, Patriots Chairman and CEO, in a news release. "They are truly making the world a better place and deserve to be recognized for their many contributions. We have been celebrating volunteerism for many decades and will continue to use our platform to promote their work in hopes of inspiring others to do the same."

SELF helps economically challenged families of children with learning disabilities to navigate the special education system. The nonprofit provides grants of up to $5,000 per child for legal representation to help families achieve better learning and development outcomes.

The organization's goal is to level the playing field in the special education system so that no child with a learning disability falls between the cracks due to legal or economic challenges.

Following over a decade of educational challenges for her own son, Lai dedicated herself to making special education and services for people with intellectual disabilities more accessible and understandable to all families regardless of economic status.

In four years, SELF has provided over $400,000 in legal assistance grants to over 100 families and educated thousands more via direct community outreach programs and informational content on its website.

The Patriots Difference Maker of the Week Award is part of the foundation’s Celebrate Volunteerism initiative, designed to educate fans about the need for volunteering, highlight deserving volunteers from across the region and inspire Patriots fans to become lifelong volunteers.

"There’s no better example of the ‘Best a Man Can Get’ than the 17 honorees who are being recognized as 2022 Patriots Difference Makers," said Kara Buckley, vice president of communications and community affairs, P&G Gillette, in a news release. "These everyday heroes work tirelessly to improve the lives of those around them and have strengthened our community in many ways. We are grateful that our partners at the Kraft Family and New England Patriots Foundation are celebrating these individuals and inspiring others by example."

This marks the 12th season of that the Patriots Difference Maker of the Week Award has been presented to volunteers from across New England.

Since its inception, more than 180 individuals have received this award and over $890,000 has been donated to local nonprofit organizations.

To learn more about the program visit the New England Patriots Foundation website.