New England Patriots hand out coats in Boston on World Homeless Day
BOSTON - The New England Patriots showed up at the Pine Street Inn to promote World Homeless Day on Tuesday.
"The heart of this city"
"This building and the people in it are truly the heart of this city. The heart because they keep people alive. The heart because they care about so many people in need every single day," New England Patriots Charitable Foundation President Josh Kraft said.
Several players from the New England Patriots and the Patriots Charitable Foundation teamed up with Pine Street Inn and Empowerment Coat Project to hand out winter jackets and outreach kits stuffed with cozy socks, snacks and other essentials.
The Patriots packed the Pine Street Inn van with these special jackets, which double as a sleeping bag, and outreach kits for homeless people living out in the cold. For Patriots linebacker Ja'Whaun Bentley giving back to the homeless, hits close to home. For eight of his childhood years, his family was homeless, moving around from home to home and staying with close relatives.
"I kinda give kudos to my parents, recognizing it was a tough time, but we never really saw it as that bad. We just saw it as God redirecting us in a different way. It got us through those tough days," Bentley said. Even while dealing with an injury, Bentley is committed to serving the homeless. "It always special to kinda just be a servant. Anytime you get to reach back, especially to team up with a great institution like Pine Street is special."
Jackets distributed throughout Boston
Throughout the winter season, more than 1,000 of these jacket sleeping bags will be distributed throughout Boston and beyond.
"We will be taking them out to those who don't come in. Sometimes, the best we can do is keep someone alive to fight another day, and the coats, as it gets colder, will be an essential part of that," Pine Street Inn President Lyndia Downie said.
For 50-year-old Donald Holmes, who is homeless, receiving a sleeping bag coat from the Patriots means a lot. "It's an everyday battle. You get a lot of difficult days but then you get your good days. Today's one of those good days," Holmes said.
Bentley says leaning on faith and family got him through those homeless years and he is proud to serve the community with his teammates by his side. After all, it wasn't too long ago that he was in similar shoes. "One day at a time. That was something that my family, we always preached; we leaned on each other. Every now and then, you kinda get those moments when just sit and you look back at how far you've come and then you just sit there like "Wow!'" Bentley said.