Procter & Gamble’s VP of Grooming, North America, John Claughton (far left), Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraftand Patriots and Pro Football Hall of Famer Andre Tippett congratulate Grace Chen of Somerville, Mass. for being selected as a 2022 Myra Kraft Community MVP Award winner. — Photos courtesy of Eric J. Adler/New England Patriots

For the past 25 years, the Kraft family and the New England Patriots Foundation have been recognizing volunteers for going above and beyond to give back to their communities through the Myra Kraft Community MVP Awards program. Formerly known as the Community Quarterback Awards, this volunteer recognition was renamed in 2011 in memory of Myra Kraft.

On Wednesday, June 8, Dr. Grace Chen was among 26 volunteers recognized for their contributions at an awards ceremony at Gillette Stadium. In total, $275,000 in donations were distributed to the nonprofits represented by each volunteer. Twenty-five organizations each received $10,000, and the Grimes King Foundation for the Elderly received this year’s grand prize of $25,000.

“Of all the community initiatives we support through the Patriots Foundation, this was always Myra’s favorite and I am proud that we continue to honor her legacy of volunteerism by recognizing the amazing work of dozens of volunteers each year,” said Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft. “She loved meeting all of the honorees and hearing their heartwarming stories of volunteerism. There are so many people doing great things in our communities. It restores all faith in humanity. We enjoyed reviewing this year’s applications and selecting the 26 dedicated individuals that are helping to make the world a better place.”

Gillette, a longtime supporter of the New England Patriots and a cornerstone partner of the Patriots Foundation, served as the presenting sponsor for this year’s program. On hand to congratulate the award winners were Robert Kraft, President of Kraft Family Philanthropies Josh Kraft, Patriots, College and Pro Football Hall of Famer and Patriots Executive Director of Community Affairs Andre Tippett and John Claughton, VP of Grooming, North America, Procter & Gamble.

“This program has always been my family’s favorite charitable initiative,” said Josh Kraft. “Each year, we read hundreds of heartfelt stories of volunteerism and we are honored to celebrate those who go above and beyond to help others. We were excited to partner with our good friends at Gillette for this year’s program and appreciate their shared commitment to building stronger New England communities.”

“As a long-time witness of the great and positive impact the Kraft family has had on the New England community, Gillette could not be more proud to share in honoring Myra’s legacy as the presenting sponsor of the Myra Kraft MVP Awards,” said John Claughton. “Joined by the same drive to be a force for good for the communities we serve, Gillette looks forward to supporting all the honorees and volunteers that continue the work Myra so passionately championed.”

Grace Chen of Somerville, Mass. was recognized as one of this year’s honorees and presented with a $10,000 donation for Camp
Casco.

For the past eight years, Camp Casco has been providing memorable experiences for children battling cancer. Grace has been with the nonprofit since their first camp session in 2015.

“It’s an incredible honor to receive the Myra Kraft Community MVP Award for my work at Camp Casco,” said Grace. “This award means we can continue offering amazing summer camp experiences for childhood cancer patients and survivors and creating resources for the entire family.”

Grace wears many hats at Camp Casco, serving on the Board of Directors, planning fun and memorable activities for every camp session, and remaining a top fundraiser year after year. Most importantly, she is a favorite amongst the campers and brings a magical camp spirit that ensures a positive experience for all children.

“I’ve been involved with the Casco family for eight amazing years, and it’s been the greatest and most rewarding experience of my life,” said Grace. “I’m so grateful for Camp Casco for allowing me to be a part of their journey. I can honestly and easily say that camp makes my heart happy, and to be recognized for being a part of this fantastic organization that truly cares about the children and families we serve is the greatest honor I could ever receive.”

The 2022 Myra Kraft Community MVP winners range from 15 to 85 years old and represent every New England state. The selected nonprofits provide support for many causes, including education, domestic violence prevention, healthcare, homelessness, mentoring and military support.

Since its inception, the Myra Kraft Community MVP Awards program has recognized more than 450 volunteers and donated more than $3 million to support nonprofit organizations across New England.

The Kraft family and the New England Patriots Foundation received more than 250 applications this year from nonprofit organizations looking to recognize their outstanding volunteers. Nominations open each spring and the awards are open to all nonprofit organizations in the New England region.

For more information on the Myra Kraft Community MVP Awards, please visit www.patriots.com/community.

Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft, President of Kraft Family Philanthropies Josh Kraft, Patriots Executive Director of Community Affairs Andre Tippett, Procter & Gamble’s VP of Grooming, North America, John Claughton and Procter & Gamble’s VP of Communications & Community Affairs, Global Grooming, Kara Buckley take a group photo with the 2022 Myra Kraft Community MVP Award winners on the Gillette Stadium field.

Camp Casco is a nonprofit organization that offers amazing camp experiences that build lifelong connections for children with cancer and their families. The organization hosts a variety of events throughout the year, including two week-long summer camps, free family socials, and yearly fundraisers. The name Casco is Spanish for “Hulk” and represents the joy that Camp Casco inspires in childhood cancer patients and survivors. It was founded by Dr. Michael Goldberg and Erin Fletcher Stern in 2014. Learn more at www.campcasco.org.