FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - The New England Patriots announced today that the Friends of Foxborough Turf Field Project, Inc. or "TurfsUp," will receive a $200,000 grant from the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation as part of the National Football League Grassroots Program.
TurfsUp is a non-profit community effort with a goal to install Foxborough's first community multi-sport artificial field at Foxboro High School. The new field will benefit more than 3,000 children in the Foxborough school system and numerous local youth recreation leagues.
"We have been supportive of TurfsUp from the beginning as a project that meets many of our charitable goals by providing access to athletics and bringing communities together," said Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft. "Of course, the opportunity to do something special in Foxborough was a big factor."
The grant, awarded by the Patriots, the NFL Youth Football Fund and Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), is part of $2.5 million in field refurbishment awards allocated this year. It effectively jumpstarts TurfsUp's fundraising efforts.
"The New England Patriots and the Kraft organization in concert with LISC certainly have demonstrated their belief in us and our community with their very generous commitment to the many youth sporting organizations here in Foxborough," said TurfsUp Director of Fundraising Kris Long. "We are very grateful and we will continue to reach out to the many sport groups, families and businesses that are the fabric of Foxborough to complete our field."
The NFL Grassroots Program, a partnership between the NFL Youth Football Fund and LISC, the nation's leading community development support corporation, has resulted in the construction or renovation of 225 fields nationwide in the past 12 years. During that time, the NFL Youth Football Fund has granted more than $28 million to revitalize playing fields. Fields are newly built or significantly renovated, with improvements such as irrigation systems, lights, bleachers, scoreboards, goal posts and turf. Grassroots grants are issued once established funding thresholds are reached for each project.
LISC identifies local, nonprofit, neighborhood-based agencies which have an interest in building or refurbishing football fields in schools and parks. Through the program, the local agencies are provided with the necessary financing and technical assistance to improve the quality and safety of fields in their neighborhoods. The local agencies oversee the construction, maintenance and programming of the fields.
"Our focus at LISC is on building sustainable communities- good places to live, work, do business and raise families," said Michael Rubinger, LISC president and CEO. "Developing recreational opportunities is a key part of that, and the NFL has been a committed partner in making it happen."
For more information on TurfsUp, please visit www.foxboroturfsup.org
About the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation
The New England Patriots Charitable Foundation is the nonprofit organization established by the Kraft family in 1994 to support charitable and philanthropic agencies throughout New England. This support comes in the form of direct grants and the donation of signed memorabilia to charitable causes, as well as from Patriots players who offer their direct support by appearing at charity functions throughout the year. The foundation's primary goal is to support programs that aid the youth and families of the New England region by assisting programs that foster cultural diversity, education, family and health. The foundation has taken special interest in youth programs that encourage education, creativity and development of character. For more information about the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation, please visit www.patriots.com/community.
About the NFL Youth Football Fund
Established in 1998 by the NFL and the NFL Players Association, the NFL Youth Football Fund seeks to use football as a catalyst to promote positive youth development, support youth and high school football needs nationwide and also ensure the health of grassroots football in future generations. Through the YFF's youth football initiatives and support programs, youngsters are provided with opportunities to learn the game of football, get physically fit and stay involved in productive after-school activities with adult mentors.
