New England Patriots Engage in Various Community Outreach Programs

Joining the New England Patriots Foundation at The Blackstone School in the South End of Boston, cornerback Marcus Jones participated in an initiative designed to promote literacy among students. The event featured the Rhymes with Reason program, which utilizes popular music to keep students engaged while improving their literacy skills. Artists like SZA and J. Cole provided the music used to connect with the students.

«I wish I had a program like this when I was in school,» Jones expressed after the event. «To see kids break down the lyrics in an educational manner to understand what their favorite artists are talking about is awesome. This program is beneficial for these kids and will help them in the future.» Jones was accompanied by teammates Caleb Jones and Demontrey Jacobs, two Patriots cheerleaders, and the Pat Patriot mascot as part of the team’s Adopt-A-School initiative.

The event encouraged students to analyze song lyrics in groups and later create their own verses using specific vocabulary words. «It was great to get back into the music space. Being here and hearing what the kids think and how they put things together was fantastic,» said Jones. «The music world is where I love to stay at, and being here was an awesome experience.»

In another act of community engagement, the Patriots Foundation collaborated with United Way of Massachusetts Bay to launch The Gratitude Project. On Tuesday, Patriots players, including Brenden Schooler, Austin Hooper, Ben Brown, Layden Robinson, Miles Battle, and Eric Johnson II, gathered at the Boston Convention Center to pack nearly 10,000 bags of food and essentials for distribution across Attleboro, Dorchester, Taunton, Lowell, Lynn, Quincy, and Roxbury.

Hooper, while volunteering, commented on the collaborative spirit of the event. «Just being able to be shoulder to shoulder with a bunch of volunteers who took the time out of their busy days to do something selfless was pretty cool,» he said. The Gratitude Project marked its 25th anniversary, with more than 500 volunteers contributing their efforts.

Meanwhile, Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett paid a surprise visit to students at Baker Elementary School in Brockton. Partnering with the Lids Foundation and the Shoes That Fit charity, Brissett distributed new sneakers and winter hats to all 755 students, much to their delight.