The Patriots, as an organization, are dedicated to giving back to the community through the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation's Celebrate Volunteerism initiative, but giving back doesn't end with team-led events. Many Patriots players have causes for which they care deeply, exemplified by the many charity events hosted throughout the year and time spent spreading awareness about each individual endeavor.
During Week 13, players from around the league will have a chance to wear customized cleats, proudly highlighting what they stand for during game action. Some Patriots will be rocking their custom cleats for #MyCauseMyCleats, and The Players' Tribune is helping celebrate the stories of players from around the NFL.
The site was founded by Derek Jeter as a home for athletes to share personal essays, and it has been shining light on NFL players' charitable passions with Cause and Effect Player Cards. Joe Cardona, Dont'a Hightower, Chris Long, Devin McCourty and Logan Ryan all have Player Cards featured.
Joe shows his support for The Travis Manion Foundation, which aims to "empower veterans and families of fallen heroes." Both Dont'a and Devin have used their platform in the NFL to raise awareness about diseases which have directly impacted their families, diabetes and sickle cell disease respectively. After a visit to Tanzania, Chris started his own organization, Waterboys, which raises money to bring wells to East African villages. Logan is using his cleats to raise awareness for The Pittie Stop Rescue, which is dedicated to breaking the stigma of American pit bull terriers and getting them adopted.
To learn more about the causes your Patriots support, check out The Players' Tribune page dedicated to the Cause and Effect Player Cards. Be sure to also check out the charities highlighted by players from around the league while you're there. Check back in with Lifestyle as the #MyCauseMyCleats game approaches on Dec. 4 for a further look into your Patriots and their causes.
