Partners in Patriotism Fund Awards First $25K in Local Grants

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The Partners in Patriotism Fund, established by the Kraft family in 2014, has awarded its first $25,000 in grants to a variety of Foxborough-based organizations and community initiatives.

The Fund’s Grants Committee, comprised of 13 Foxborough residents, meets on a monthly basis at Gillette Stadium to review and vote on grant applications it has received. Among the Fund’s first 17 grant recipients were HUGS Foxboro, Foxborough Citizen Corps (C.E.R.T.), IGO Cares and the Foxboro Discretionary Fund.

HUGS Foxboro received a $4,000 grant to assist in expanding the organization’s services in Foxborough. The all-volunteer, not-for-profit organization is dedicated to making the community safer by educating the public regarding violence in relationships and by providing assistance to victims and families affected by domestic violence.

“Receiving this generous donation from the Partners in Patriotism Fund demonstrates their support to help our organization eradicate domestic violence within the Foxborough community,” said HUGS Foxboro President Maura Schaeffer Jobin. “This is a community issue that requires community involvement and dedication. On behalf of HUGS Foxboro, I commend the Partners in Patriotism Fund for their commitment to impact the Foxborough community and thank them for their generous donation.”

Schaeffer Jobin said the funds will specifically help HUGS coordinate and sponsor a teen dating violence awareness prevention program at both Foxborough High School and the Ahern Middle School; add the Foxborough Regional Charter School to its list of schools in sponsoring awareness and prevention programs; add sexual assault awareness and prevention programs and bullying awareness and prevention programs to schools; hire a professional consultant/non-profit strategic planner to help raise funds and increase community awareness; help create a web page and provide an additional $1,000 scholarship to a Foxborough High School graduating senior studying human services.

HUGS Foxboro works in collaboration with the Foxborough Police Department, Brigham and Women’s/Mass General Health Care Center and the Foxborough Council on Aging & Human Services to help victims of domestic violence.

The Grants Committee issued a $2,800 grant to Foxborough Citizen Corps (C.E.R.T) to assist in establishing and purchasing gear for Foxborough’s Community Emergency Response Team. The gear will be made available to members of the community to aid in disaster or emergency scenarios in town.

The Foxboro Discretionary Fund and IGO Cares, a program dedicated to providing financial assistance to Igo Elementary School families in need, each received $2,500 donations from the committee.

“This donation enables us to help our own families in need by establishing an oil fund, purchasing gift cards to local supermarkets and assisting in ways that were previously out of our financial reach,” said Michele Paluzzi, Igo PTO co-president. “I truly wish the need was not there to have to apply for these funds, but there is. We are so grateful for the Partners in Patriotism Fund’s generosity.”

Other grants awarded include:

· $1,000 to Foxborough Boy Scout Kevin Hickey to assist in funding his Eagle Scout project to build shelving in the attic of the Doolittle Home. Hickey says the shelves will assist the Doolittle staff in accessing and organizing suitcases, clothes and furniture stored.

· $900 to the Foxboro Touchdown Club to assist in covering the cost of turkeys given to military veterans during the Thanksgiving holiday.

· $800 to the Foxboro Girl Scouts Service Unit to assist in funding the third annual Blanket Project held in December. The annual event brings Girl Scouts together for an afternoon of cutting and assembling no-sew fleece blankets that were donated to the Foxboro Discretionary Fund for distribution over the Christmas holiday.

· $500 to the Foxborough High School Community Warriors to assist in funding the group’s Meals on Wheels program, which supplies cookies and other baked goods for their dessert portion. The group also makes holiday cards and collects and purchases books, clothes and toys for organizations like Cradles to Crayons and the Home for Little Wanderers.

· $500 to the Foxboro Soccer Club to assist in establishing a Memorial Scholarship Fund in the name of Foxborough High School graduate Kevin Martin, who passed away at the age of 35.

Additionally, the Grants Committee has awarded nearly $10,000 in personal assistance grants, including nearly $700 for a new laptop for a Foxborough High School special needs student.

“This has been such a rewarding experience and I am grateful to work with such a great group of people on the Fund’s Grants Committee and at Gillette Stadium,” said Grants Committee Chair Jimmy McGowan. “We thank the Kraft family for their generosity and commitment to our town. We cannot wait to see how this annual gift of $100,000 will be used to better Foxborough.”

Serving on the Grants Committee in 2015 are residents Livia Binks, David Brown, Margaret Chaisson, Arthur Jewett, Charles Liftman, Jimmy McGowan (chair), Chris Mitchell, Thomas Murphy, Mark Powers (vice chair), Carolyn Rehill, Mike Stewart (secretary), Jenna Strickland and Cindy Venuto.

For grant applications or more information about the Partners in Patriotism Fund, please visit www.GilletteStadium.com/Partners-in-Patriotism.

ABOUT THE PARTNERS IN PATRIOTISM FUND
The Partners in Patriotism Fund is a registered nonprofit organization established by the Kraft family in 2014. The Fund is dedicated to supporting Foxborough philanthropic and community efforts through monetary donations of up to $100,000 annually. A Grants Committee, comprised of 13 Foxborough residents, is appointed annually to vet grant applications and determine allocation of funds. The Fund assists residents of Foxborough through the support of charitable endeavors, as well as through personal financial assistance. For more information, visit www.GilletteStadium.com/Partners-in-Patriotism.