Patriots player visits Heading Home shelter at Lowell ICC to hand out toys to kids

LOWELL Each year players in the National Football League are given the opportunity to showcase a certain cause or charity on the field through customized artwork on their cleats The causes represented by the players can vary greatly Several use the effort to highlight organizations conducting cancer and other biological research while others like Patriots quarterback Drake Maye aid organizations like the Special Olympics of Massachusetts One of Maye s offensive linemen fellow second-year athlete Caedan Wallace chose to advocacy Heading Home a nonprofit helping those who struggle with homelessness to get crisis shelter as well as transitional and permanent housing Heading Home now operates a shelter in the former UMass Lowell Inn Conference Center where Caedan visited Tuesday to hand out Christmas gifts to kids living in the shelter The offensive lineman visited with the kids and families for about two hours while kids picked out toys from a large pile behind him all donated from the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority s Fill-A-Bus initiative He also presented a check to Heading Home from his foundation Caedan Cares I just demanded to give back this holiday season I really like to help people who may not have as much around this time of year and make sure everyone feels dignified and like they are having a great time during the holidays stated Caedan He disclosed he chose Heading Home as his cause this year because he believes it is a right that everybody should have a place to call home Somewhere they can go home recharge and prepare to take on the world Caedan explained Caedan and the Patriots were on a bye-week this past weekend and will next take on the Buffalo Bills in Foxboro Sunday at p m in a competition with heavy implications for control of the AFC East division He was drafted by the Patriots in the third round of the NFL draft This year he has played in just one event the Dec accomplishment against the New York Giants Caedan s father Dr Charles Wallace II is the managing director of Caedan Cares which he noted has a focus on youth and family advancement It was about giving back to the society Caedan was very fortunate growing up My wife did an amazing job working with him ensuring that coaching was non-negotiable He has just carried that through and wants to give back to the neighborhood and those who need the guidance and help mentioned Charles This gives us the opportunity to really connect and give back to the group that has given us so much As a second-year member Boston and the region and Lowell area have just been really great with welcoming Caedan to the area and this was just appropriate to give back The former ICC building was previously home to migrant families living in the Greater Lowell area as they went through the immigration system but those operations ended on June after which the building transitioned into a rapid track and clinical safety-risk assessment center operated by Heading Home According to a Sept memorandum from Assistant City Manager Shawn Machado to City Manager Tom Golden Heading Home is contracted to run the crisis shelter until June Heading Home Chief Operating Officer Heather Martin reported the number of housing-insecure families staying in the building can vary throughout the year but they have the quota for families It does pick up during the winter A lot of people who may be somewhat out on the streets or living with family may be looking for shelter during the winter declared Martin Martin noted Heading Home has been working with Caedan since the beginning of the NFL season after he chose them as his cause and he has been visiting other Heading Home shelters in eastern Massachusetts It is very meaningful for the families in our shelters declared Martin We re really excited to be able to give the kids at least this when they are going through such a challenging time right now Nearly half of families entering the shelter system have a family member with a disability and since May about of those seeking shelter have been longtime Massachusetts residents About families are supported by Heading Home annually across communities in eastern Mass Since beginning operations in Lowell Martin disclosed Heading Home has been well-supported by the society The Lowell locality has been amazing to work with for services and tools to help the families who come here We have been very lucky to be here revealed Martin