FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, the New England Patriots Foundation and Patriot Place today announced that Homes For Our Troops, a nonprofit organization dedicated to building and donating specially adapted custom homes for severely injured post-9/11 veterans, will be the beneficiary of this year's Finish at the 50 road races at Gillette Stadium on Wednesday, July 3.

Through their shared commitment to empowering New England communities and honoring military members and their families, Harvard Pilgrim, in partnership with the Patriots Foundation, will donate $50,000 to Homes For Our Troops at the finish line of the July 3rd races to support the nonprofit's project to build a specially adapted custom home for a military veteran in the Merrimack Valley area of Massachusetts. Additionally, Patriot Place will donate a portion from each race entry to support Homes For Our Troops. 

Registration for this year's Finish at the 50 races is now open at www.finishatthe50.com.

"As a veteran of the United States Air Force, I am thrilled that this year's Finish at the 50 is aligned with such a remarkable organization whose work in helping injured veterans rebuild their lives is truly inspiring," said Michael Carson, president and CEO of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care. "All of us at Harvard Pilgrim are proud to support and participate in these races and contribute in making a difference in the lives of the brave men and women who have given so much to our country."

"We are proud to partner with Harvard Pilgrim and the Patriots Foundation to support Homes For Our Troops and the great work they do for military veterans who were severely injured while protecting our country," said Brian Earley, Patriot Place vice president and general manager. "For the past 10 years, Finish at the 50 has become one of New England's most popular events to kick off the Fourth of July and what better way to celebrate our country's Independence Day this year than by running for a cause that will make a lasting impact on military veterans who sacrificed so much for our independence."

Since its inception in 2004, Homes For Our Troops has built more than 270 specially adapted homes nationwide for severely injured post-9/11 military veterans and their families and has become a top-rated military charity by Charity Navigator, Charity Watch and Guidestar.

"We are thrilled Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, the New England Patriots Foundation, and Patriot Place have chosen to bring attention to our mission through this exciting event," said Tom Landwermeyer, president of Homes For Our Troops. "The awareness and funds raised through this race will help in advancing our capacity to Build Homes and Rebuild Lives."

This year marks Harvard Pilgrim Health Care's 50th anniversary and 10th year as the title sponsor of the Finish at the 50 road races and fireworks spectacular at Patriot Place and Gillette Stadium. The event will once again kick off Fourth of July festivities with a day full of free family-friendly activities leading up to the Kids Fun Run for children ages 2-12 (5 p.m.), the 5K (6:30 p.m.) and 10K (7:30 p.m.) races.

Both the 5K and 10K races end with fanfare as participants emerge onto the home turf of the six-time Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots from underneath the team's inflatable helmet to the cheers of the crowd as they charge toward the finish line. Participants are shown on the stadium's video boards and their names are called over the stadium's PA system as they cross the 50-yard line and receive their commemorative medal.

The post-race fireworks spectacular show caps the festivities beginning approximately at 9:30 p.m. The fireworks can be seen with Gillette Stadium as the backdrop throughout Patriot Place's North Marketplace and parking lots. Parking is free for the event. 

Last year's Finish at the 50 drew nearly 6,000 racers from 38 states and six international countries to Foxborough.

For more information, visit www.patriot-place.com.

ABOUT HARVARD PILGRIM HEALTH CARE

Harvard Pilgrim and its family of companies provide health benefit plans, programs and services to more than 3 million customers in New England and beyond. A leading not-for-profit health services company, we guide our members – and the communities we serve – to better health.   

Founded by doctors 50 years ago, we're building on our legacy. In partnership with our expansive network of doctors and hospitals, we're improving health outcomes and lowering costs through clinical quality and innovative care management. 

Our commitment to the communities we serve is driven by the passion of the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation. Through its work, low- and moderate-income families are gaining greater access to fresh, affordable food — a cornerstone to better health and well-being.

To learn more about Harvard Pilgrim, visit harvardpilgrim.org.

ABOUT PATRIOT PLACE

Patriot Place is a shopping, dining and entertainment destination located adjacent to Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Patriot Place features large and boutique retailers, 17 casual to high-end restaurants and other nightlife venues. Among the highlights of Patriot Place are New England's first Bass Pro Shops, a state-of-the-art, 14-screen Showcase Cinema De Lux, the award-winning Patriots Hall of Fame presented by Raytheon, the retro-style bowling alley, Splitsville Luxury Lanes with Howl at the Moon and Topgolf Swing Suite entertainment, the modern gastro sports pub, CBS Sporting Club, the four-star Renaissance Boston Patriot Place Hotel and the Hilton Garden Inn Foxborough/Patriot Place. For more information, visit www.patriot-place.com, follow Patriot Place on Twitter (twitter.com/patriotplace) or like Patriot Place on Facebook (facebook.com/patriotplace).

ABOUT THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS FOUNDATION

The New England Patriots Foundation is the 501(c)(3) non-profit entity created by Robert Kraft to support charitable and philanthropic agencies throughout New England. The Foundation's primary goal is to support programs that aid the youth and families of New England while underscoring the Kraft family's deep commitment to philanthropic activities in the community. The Foundation actively supports non-profit groups focusing on health, education, youth fitness and community enrichment while also implementing its own programs in those areas of focus. For more information about the Foundation, visit www.patriots.com/community.

ABOUT HOMES FOR OUR TROOPS

Homes For Our Troops (HFOT) is a publicly funded 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization that builds and donates specially adapted custom homes nationwide for severely injured post – 9/11 Veterans, to enable them to rebuild their lives. Most of these Veterans have sustained injuries including multiple limb amputations, partial or full paralysis, and/or severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). These homes restore some of the freedom and independence our Veterans sacrificed while defending our country, and enable them to focus on their family, recovery, and rebuilding their lives. Since its inception in 2004, nearly 90 cents out of every dollar spent has gone directly to our program services for Veterans. HFOT builds these homes where the Veteran chooses to live, and continues its relationship with the Veterans after home delivery to assist them with rebuilding their lives.