Photo: Kim Tunnicliffe/WBZ NewsRadio
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — The Kraft Foundation hosted a special event on Tuesday to support Boston’s homeless population ahead of winter.
Members of the New England Patriots, New England Revolution and Germany’s National Soccer Team packed backpacks, filling them with toiletries, snacks and Patriots gear. Empowerment Plan also donated 100 EMPWR coats that can transform into sleeping bags, equipped with heavy-duty buckles and industrial Velcro.
The backpacks and coats were loaded into Pine Street Inn’s outreach vans and will be distributed across the city.
Pine Street Inn works with homeless individuals to help them move from the streets and shelter to a home and assists formerly homeless individuals in retaining housing.
“We’d like everybody to come in and not be outside, but it doesn’t happen that way in reality,” said Pine Street Inn’s Lyndia Downie. “The coats really are crucial to our winter strategy for people who won’t come in.”
President of the New England Patriots Foundation Josh Kraft spoke at the event on Tuesday.
“Our family is very committed to those most vulnerable, and there’s no one more vulnerable than people that are living on the streets and homeless,” said Kraft.
WBZ’s Kim Tunnicliffe (@KimWBZ) reports.
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