A look at Josh Kraft’s philanthropy as he prepares to declare Boston mayoral candidacy

BOSTON — Josh Kraft, president of the New England Patriots Foundation and son of Robert Kraft, is planning to announce his candidacy for mayor of Boston later this month, according to The Boston Globe. He has a longstanding career with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston, starting in the early 1990s and serving in various capacities, including 12 years as president and CEO.

In 2014, under his leadership, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston acquired an old library on Hazleton Street, which was renovated into what is now the Josh Kraft Mattapan Teen Center. Sandy Zamor Calixte, who lives near the teen center, remarked on Kraft’s commitment: “He’s listening,” Calixte said. “People want to take away the fact that he’s the son of a billionaire, but he has committed himself to community and to our youth.”

Kraft’s philanthropic efforts, backed by significant family contributions, have occasionally sparked criticism. As Joyce Ferriabough Bolling, a political strategist, pointed out in an interview with The Boston Globe, “There will be a core group of people who say he’s ‘coming in here and thinking he can buy the election.'”

Kraft’s potential opponent, current Mayor Michelle Wu, made history as the first woman of Asian descent to lead the city. Wu, raised by Taiwanese immigrant parents outside Chicago, previously served as a Boston city councilor before her mayoral tenure.

“He seems to me to have his mother’s heart,” said Priscilla Flint, executive director of the Marcus Anthony Hall Educational Institute (MAHEI). MAHEI is an organization committed to enhancing the lives of economically and socially underserved communities in Boston by providing educational programs, seminars, and leadership training designed to help residents obtain gainful employment and “influence decisions that impact their lives.”

Flint, whose organization benefits from Kraft’s philanthropy, hopes that if elected, he would direct more city grant funding towards her organization, The Boston Globe reported. She supports Kraft for mayor after backing Mayor Wu in 2021, and told The Globe that Wu has not fulfilled some of her campaign promises.

Who is Josh Kraft?

In high school, Josh Kraft opted to attend the Rivers School in Weston rather than follow his older brothers’ footsteps to Belmont Hill.

In 1990, after graduating from Williams College, Josh Kraft joined the Boys & Girls Club as a program coordinator in South Boston, focusing on preventing middle schoolers from dropping out, according to The Boston Globe. The role was his first direct encounter with the realities of violence, poverty, and addiction—challenges he had not previously faced.

“Our parents made us understand we were fortunate, but it’s sort of conceptual — it’s not real until you experience it,” Jonathan Kraft explained to The Boston Globe.

The experience in South Boston deeply impacted him. When he called family and friends, Josh was eager to discuss the kids he was working with. He soon recruited his brother Jonathan and a small group of others to mentor students in his program, as reported by The Boston Globe.

The work also sparked his interest in policy solutions, prompting him to consider more profound systemic changes.

In a 1992 interview with The Boston Globe about truancy, Josh Kraft said, “Something drastic has to change. I think we should have parenting classes, parent licenses, and severe penalties for parents who don’t keep their kids in school.” Decades later, a spokesperson noted that Kraft’s views have evolved, moving away from punitive measures against parents.

As Josh Kraft’s career progressed at the Boys & Girls Club, he secured a permanent facility for the Boys & Girls Club of Chelsea and eventually led the entire Boston organization, doubling its membership and increasing its budget to $26 million. His real education, Kraft joked, came from his years at the club, not from his law studies—a path he forwent due to a low LSAT score—later bolstered by a master’s from Harvard’s Graduate School of Education.

Those close to Kraft describe him as deeply committed to Boston’s youth, often supporting families quietly, such as funding a funeral for a young man who died while incarcerated. Former city councilor Annissa Essaibi George highlighted Kraft’s strategic approach to philanthropy, saying he wants to get involved rather than just donate money, the Boston Globe reported.

Despite his philanthropy, some Boston residents are skeptical of a wealthy philanthropist leading their city, particularly at a time like this. “I’m not doing jumping jacks and backflips about a white male running,” James “Jimmy” Hills, a former City Hall staffer, told The Boston Globe, referencing the political climate under Donald Trump.

If Kraft wants to win a mayoral bid in deep-blue Boston, he’s going to have to steer clear of his parents’ affiliation with the president, who has been a friend of his father, Robert Kraft, for decades.

The Boston Globe reported that Robert Kraft attended Donald Trump’s wedding to Melania Trump in 2005. Following Myra Kraft’s death in 2011, Trump offered his condolences to Robert Kraft. Later, Robert Kraft contributed $1 million to Trump’s first presidential inauguration.

“Friendship trumps politics, for lack of a better term,” Josh Kraft said in an interview with the Globe in 2017 about his father’s relationship with Donald Trump. “You might not agree with what your friend believes, but why let that ruin a friendship?”

According to The Boston Globe, Robert Kraft has since distanced himself from Donald Trump, stating last fall that he had not spoken with the former president since January 6, 2021, when a mob of Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol.

Josh Kraft’s political stance is also marred by affiliations with the Republican party. Registered as a Democrat, he has historically supported both Republican and Democratic candidates, emphasizing those who back Israel. In the 2016 Republican primary, Josh Kraft cast his vote for John Kasich, the moderate Republican Ohio governor. His political donations have included contributions to Mayor Wu during her 2021 campaign, and Republican U.S. Senator Susan Collins of Maine. A spokesperson told The Boston Globe these donations were motivated by the politicians’ support for Israel.

Last week, Josh Kraft offered a glimpse into his motivations for running for mayor while addressing a small group of students at Boston University Hillel. When asked about his reasons for running, Kraft emphasized the need to bring people together, according to an attendee who shared notes from the event with The Boston Globe.

“I love the city of Boston,” said Josh Kraft, a longtime Chestnut Hill resident who purchased a $2 million condo in the North End in 2023. “To me, there’s no reason why Boston shouldn’t be the best city in America for everyone, whether someone’s on ‘Mass. and Cass’ struggling with addiction and homelessness, or they live a couple of blocks that way in a $20 million townhouse.”