New England Patriots Make Grants to Youth Teams and Schools

As the chief financial officer of New 2ND Capital in New York City, Kate Merli manages transactions, audits, and cash flow on all investments. And every fall, Kate Merli roots for the New England Patriots professional football team.

The Patriots recently awarded 33 grants to high school and other youth teams throughout New England. Each grant is worth up to $1,000 and provides a range of athletic equipment and uniforms to young people in financial need. The Patriots made the grants in partnership with USA Football and the NFL Foundation.

USA Football, an organization that oversees America’s youth football programs, will provide funds totaling $1.5 million for 2019. Since 2006, the organization has given some $14 million to about 500,000 players around the country.

Its corporate sponsors donate such items as uniforms (Badger Sport), tackle football equipment (Riddell Sports), and practice aids (Gilman Gear, Tackle Tube, and Shadowman Sports). Additional items include flag football equipment, wearable tech (Catapult), and background checks (Peopletrail).

USA Football holds a seat on the US Olympic Committee and operates teams for international competition. It promotes safe participation in the sport by building alliances with medical providers and child advocacy organizations.

Working alongside USA Football is the National Football League Foundation. The foundation pools the resources of the league’s 32 franchises to enhance the safety and wellness of players.

New England Patriots Foundation Distributes Winter Coats to Homeless

Employed at New 2nd Capital in New York City, Kate Merli is responsible for tracking investment data, managing the annual financial review process, and overseeing providers of external services. In her free time, Kate Merli enjoys watching New England Patriots football. 

During the 2018 football season, the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation and the Kraft company hosted a marathon and half marathon in Gillette Stadium. The race served as a Boston Marathon qualifying event, the only one held entirely inside an NFL stadium, and it raised more than $70,000 for the Patriots Foundation to serve the homeless. 

In December 2018, the Patriots Foundation used the funds from the marathon to buy more than 700 water-resistant winter coats. Specially made to transform into sleeping bags, the “Empowerment Coats” were designed by a young entrepreneur named Veronika Scott who wanted to help people facing life on the streets. 

Ms. Scott started by passing out the coats herself in Detroit. She later began hiring men and women who are homeless to make more coats. For the past five years, the Patriots Foundation has helped distribute Ms. Scott’s Empowerment Coats to homeless people across New England.