Highland Hoops Program “Gives Assist” to Military Friends Foundation Through a Night with the Boston Celtics for Local Military Families
BOSTON – On March 23rd, the Highland Street Foundation’s “Highland Hoops” program and the Military Friends Foundation, a non-profit serving Massachusetts National Guard, Reserve and Gold Star Families, joined to honor local Service Members and their families with a special evening with the 17-Time World Champion Boston Celtics.
The Highland Street Foundation generously provides tickets and food vouchers for non-profits like the Military Friends Foundation to attend a Celtics game at TD Garden in Boston. As part of the experience, all the attendees also receive special hats and t-shirts. “As an Iraq veteran, I applaud the Highland Street Foundation for recognizing the ongoing service and sacrifices made by military families,” said Sergeant Major Jim Kelly (Ret.), President of the Military Friends Foundation. “Through their generosity, so many families are being given a chance to create new memories before year-long deployments while others are reuniting after recently coming back from a tour of duty. Highland Street’s gift is immeasurable and lasting.”
Private Nicholas Pinard-Johnson, a member of the Massachusetts National Guard’s 182nd Infantry, attended the Celtics game with his father, Wayne, and younger brother, Nathan. “I would like to give a huge thank you to the “Highland Hoops” and the Military Friends Foundation for providing this opportunity to spend time with my two sons. It is a very difficult time for our family, with Nick’s deployment to Afghanistan beginning next week. As avid sports fans, we had a night where we left our cares behind, had fun, and really enjoyed each other’s company. Furthermore, this was our first time ever seeing the Celtics live, it was a truly memorable night,” said Wayne Pinard, a proud Army Dad. PVT Pinard-Johnson will be deploying for the first time for a year-long tour in Afghanistan.
“The Highland Street Foundation is proud to partner with the Military Friends Foundation in our “Highland Hoops” program. Their participation is one way for us to show appreciation to our military men and women, and to honor and thank them for the sacrifices they are making on our behalf,” said Blake Jordan, Executive Director of the Highland Street Foundation. Military families from across the Commonwealth, including from the 26th Yankee Brigade in Reading, the 182nd Infantry Battalion in Middleboro, the 1058th Transportation Co. in Hingham Cape Cod and the 181st Infantry Battalion in Agawam, attended the game.
About the Highland Street Foundation:
The Highland Street Foundation (HSF) is committed to addressing the needs and concerns to of children and families primarily within the states of Massachusetts and California. The HSF directs our efforts to provide access and opportunities in the areas of education, housing, mentorship, healthcare, environment and the arts. Since its establishment in 1989, the McGrath Family and the Highland Street Foundation have donated more than $115 million to many worthy non-profit organizations, including $94 million to groups in Massachusetts alone. For more information, please visit www.highlandstreet.org.
About the Military Friends Foundation:
The Military Friends Foundation is a non-profit the proudly supports Massachusetts National Guard, Reserve and Gold Star Families in times of need. The Foundation administers the Massachusetts Military Family Relief Fund which was created by the state legislature to recognize the unique contributions and sacrifices made by Citizen Service Members. Taxpayers can directly support the Mass. Military Family Relief Fund on their Massachusetts State Tax Form under Question 32E, a voluntary contribution check-off box. Through generous donations, the Foundation has given hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants to Massachusetts military families. For more information, please visit www.militaryfriends.org or call (617) 733-7994.
