New England Patriots great Andre Tippett made a special visit to the Salvation Army McKenna House at their Shelter in Concord, New Hampshire to promote the importance of community volunteerism on July 24, 2008. The public was invited to join the Hall of Famer and the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation Members for this discussion, which highlighted the critical role that the McKenna house has provided for its community, and the need for more community activism of this kind to continue in the future. Members of the New England Patriots Cheerleading Squad and mascot, Pat Patriot, were also in attendance to show their support. Additionally, ten local non-profit organizations were on site to promote local volunteer opportunities available to the public.
The Salvation Army McKenna House is one of many housing programs across the nation that is sponsored by the Salvation Army. In its first 30 years of existence, McKenna House has provided over 50,000 nights of shelter and more than 30,000 meals to over 5,000 homeless adults in the greater Concord, New Hampshire area. In May, the organization was given a $3,500 grant from the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation as part of the team's annual Community MVP program. Thursday's special event was an additional celebration of the organization's outstanding work within the community.
