FOXBOROUGH — The Kraft Family and New England Patriots Foundation celebrated the 2025 Myra Kraft Community MVP Award winners last month, recognizing one local man and the decades he spent volunteering for Habitat for Humanity North Central Mass.
They recognized 26 volunteers for their contributions to the New England community at an awards ceremony on June 3 at Gillette Stadium and in total, $275,000 in donations were distributed to the nonprofits represented by each volunteer. The selected nonprofits provide support for many causes including education, animals, sports, food insecurity, grief support, healthcare, military, homelessness, mental health, and more.
THE BASE out of Roxbury, which provides student-athletes access to exceptional year-round athletic training, conditioning and competition, received this year’s grand prize of $25,000. Emery Gaudet was recognized as one of this year’s honorees and presented with a $10,000 donation for Leominster based Habitat for Humanity North Central Massachusetts, one of twenty-five organizations including THE BASE that each received $10,000.
“It is an unexpected honor to be selected for such an award for doing what I really enjoy doing, especially meeting and working with like-minded people and the people we are helping, especially meeting and working with Jimmy Carter,” Gaudet said. “I think volunteering is very important because that’s the way it should be — people helping each other.”
Since the nonprofit organization’s inception almost 37 years ago, Gaudet has directly helped more than 80 local families live in safe, secure homes as well as hundreds of others internationally as part of the dedicated Habitat for Humanity North Central Massachusetts volunteer crew.
“I started volunteering with Habitat for Humanity in the mid 90’s,” Gaudet said. “Being a carpenter, I felt it was the one place where I could contribute.”
He has helped build 33 new homes as a crew chief, led a global village construction crew in Guatemala, and led disaster recovery trips for four consecutive years following Hurricane Katrina. When Gaudet isn’t working on big projects, he spends his time volunteering weekly in the Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Leominster, where he operates, tests, and repairs donated items that are sold.
New England Patriots Chair and CEO Robert Kraft, front row fifth from left, takes a group photo with the 2025 Myra Kraft Community MVP Award winners on June 3 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough. (COURTESY ERIC J. ADLER/NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS)
Since 1998, the Kraft family and the New England Patriots Foundation have been recognizing volunteers for going above and beyond to give back to their communities through the Myra Kraft Community MVP Awards program.
“This year, once again, we have seen an inspiring group of individuals put forward by nonprofits from across New England – people who demonstrate compassion, dedication, and the power of service,” said Patriots Chair and CEO Robert Kraft. “My late wife, Myra, of blessed memory, believed deeply in the importance of giving back and creating lasting change in the lives of others. It means so much to see our values reflected in these honorees, whose commitment to their communities exemplifies the Community MVP Awards.”
Gillette, a longtime supporter of the New England Patriots and a cornerstone partner of the Patriots Foundation, served as the presenting sponsor for this year’s program. On hand to congratulate the award winners were Patriots players, College and Pro Football Hall of Famer and Patriots Executive Director of Community Affairs Andre Tippett, and Gillette’s Vice President of Communications & Community Affairs, Global Grooming, Kara Buckley.
“We are honored to help celebrate the 2025 Myra Kraft Community MVPs — individuals whose tireless service and compassion make our communities stronger every day,” Buckley said. “Their stories are a powerful reminder of the profound impact that acts of courage and generosity can have on those around us. At Gillette, we believe in celebrating those who bring out the best in others and we are proud to partner with the Kraft family and the New England Patriots Foundation to recognize these remarkable volunteers who embody that ideal.”
Since its inception, the Myra Kraft Community MVP Awards program has recognized more than 525 volunteers and donated more than $4 million to support nonprofit organizations across New England. The 2025 Myra Kraft Community MVP winners range from 21 to 94 years old and represent all six New England states.
The Kraft family and the New England Patriots Foundation received close to 300 applications this year from nonprofit organizations looking to recognize their outstanding volunteers. Nominations open every February and the awards are open to all nonprofit organizations in the New England region. For more information on the Myra Kraft Community MVP Awards visit patriots.com/community.