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Josh Kraft
Kraft in 2021
Born
Joshua Kraft

1966 or 1967[1]
EducationWilliams College
Harvard Graduate School of Education
OccupationNonprofit executive
Parents
RelativesDaniel Kraft (brother)
Jonathan Kraft (brother)
Jacob Hiatt (grandfather)

Joshua Kraft is an American nonprofit executive who is the head of Kraft Family Philanthropies and board chairman of the National Urban League's Eastern Massachusetts chapter. Kraft previously worked for twelve years as CEO of the Boys & Girls Club's Boston chapter. Kraft is a son of Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots NFL team.

In the early 1990s, Kraft began working at the Boys & Girls Club of Boston. From 2008 until 2020, he headed the organization as its chief executive officer. In 2020, he became the head of Kraft Family Charities. In 2024, Kraft additionally became the board chairman of the Eastern Massachusetts chapter of the National Urban League.

Family and education

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Kraft is the third-born of four children (all sons) of Robert Kraft and the late Myra Kraft.[1][2] Kraft's father is a billionaire, being the CEO of the Kraft Group and owner of the New England Patriots NFL team. Josh is believed to be one of the future heirs of his father's fortune. In a 2008 profile, Mary Moore of Boston Business Journal idiomatically described his upbringing as having included "silver-spoon comforts" by virtue of his family wealth.[3]

Kraft attended high school at the Rivers School, graduating in 1985.[4] Kraft received his bachelor's degree from Williams College,[2] graduating in 1989.[5] He received his master's degree in education and social policy from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.[5]

Nonprofit management career

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Kraft speaking in 2021

Kraft has had an extensive career as an executive at nonprofit organizations. Kraft is considered a well-recognized figure in the city of Boston, both due to his work at nonprofits and his status as a scion of a wealthy and high-profile family.[6]

Boys & Girls Club of Boston

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Kraft spent 30 years working at the Boys & Girls Club of Boston.[1][3] It has been varyingly reported that he either began as head of the organization's South Boston youth outreach program,[1] or that he began in 1990 as the program coordinator at what is today known as the Edgerley Family South Boston Club.[7] In 1993, Kraft established the organization's branch in Chelsea, Massachusetts (the Jordan Boys & Girls Club) and was that branch's executive director until 2008.[3] In a 2008 profile written after Kraft was elevated to an executive position at Boys & Girls Club of Boston, Mary Moore of Boston Business Journal idiomatically described Kraft as having "traded silver-spoon comforts for passion and street savvy" in his work with this branch of the Boys & Girls Club, and as having "earned him both popularity and respect" from members of the branch. She also described him as, "the rare nonprofit leader whose raw enthusiasm for the organization’s mission comes from so many years spent at its grassroots level."[3]

Kraft became president and chief operating officer (CEO) of the Boys & Girls Club of Boston in July 2008,[3][1][8] a role he held for twelve years. As CEO, he led a $132 million fundraising campaign. He stepped down as head of the organization in 2020.[6]

Kraft Family Philanthropies

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Kraft with Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito in 2021

After leaving the Boys & Girls Club of Boston, Kraft became the head of Kraft Family Philanthropies. The organization consists of several primary subsidiaries: the Kraft Family Foundation, the Patriots Foundation (team charity of New England Patriots NFL team owned by his father), the Revolution Foundation (the team charity of the New England Revolution MLS team owned by his father), the Kraft Center for Community Health, and the Foundation to Combat Anti-Semitism.[1] The organization also manages the Kraft family's involvement in the Reform Alliance.[9] In this role, he regularly distributes millions of dollars of his family's wealth annually to various causes.[10]

Kraft partnered the organization with the Massachusetts Military Support Foundation to provide meals to veterans and their families.[8]

National Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts

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In February 2024, Kraft was appointed by the board of the National Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts to be its chairman,[11] with Kraft succeeding outgoing chairman Joseph Feaster Jr.[6] Kraft had been in active consideration by the board for the position over several preceding months before being officially chosen.[6]

Other work

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Kraft (second from right) sits with Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, Rabbi Marc Baker, and Acting Boston Mayor Kim Janey in 2021

During the governorships of Charlie Baker and Maura Healey, Kraft was co-chair of the governor's task force on hate crimes.[6][5]

Kraft is on the board of overseers of Lasell University.[5] In 2018, Kraft was elected to the board of trustees of Brandeis University.[2]

Kraft also is on the board of trustees for Brigham and Women's Hospital.[6] He is also on the boards of Beaver Country Day School, Camp Harbor View Foundation, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation,[5] Rivers School, and the Museum of Science.[4]

As of 2023, Kraft was teaching a course at Suffolk University on nonprofit management.[6]

Politics

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Political donations

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In 2021, Kraft gave $150,000 to Democratic Majority for Israel.[12]

At the federal level, Kraft has given sizable personal donations to House and Senate candidates from both the Democratic and Republican parties.[12]

Kraft donated to the political campaign operation of former Massachusetts governor Charlie Baker (a Republican).[6] Kraft has also given to several Democrats in Massachusetts.[12] Massachusetts Democrats that Kraft has given campaign contributions to have included state attorney general Andrea Campbell, state senator Christopher Worrell, and Suffolk County district attorney Kevin Hayden.[13]

Ahead of the 2021 Boston mayoral election, Kraft gave $1,000 to the campaign of Michelle Wu.[13] During the 2023 Boston City Council election, Kraft donated to a slate of candidates that had been prominently backed by New Balance CEO Jim Davis. This slate of candidates were running as challengers to candidates supported by Wu.[6] This was unsuccessful, as all of the candidates that Wu had endorsed won election.[14]

Possible candidacy for office

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After Charlie Baker declined to seek reelection in 2022, Kraft was seen as a potential candidate for governor.[15]

Kraft has publicly expressed an openness to running for political office.[6] Kraft has been speculated as a possible candidate in the 2025 Boston mayoral election, in which incumbent mayor Michelle Wu is seen as likely to seek reelection.[6]

There was also speculation that Kraft might challenge incumbent U.S. congresswoman Ayanna Pressley in the 2024 Democratic primary for Massachusetts's 7th congressional district.[16] Kraft is believed to be more politically centrist than Pressley.[16] However, Kraft denied having an interest in running for the congressional seat.[17]

Personal life

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Up until at least 2023, Kraft lived in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. In 2023, he purchased a home in the North End neighborhood of Boston through a limited liability company.[6]

In 2023, Kraft revealed that he had been diagnosed with and treated for prostate cancer in 2018. He mentioned that it had been detected early, and that he was currently testing at levels that indicate his cancer is essentially gone.[18][19]

Awards and honors received

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Kraft was the commencement speaker at Nichols College's Spring 2023 commencement ceremony, where he was given a honorary doctorate in Humane Letters.[22] The Boys & Girls Club of Boston has named one of its facilities the "Josh Kraft Mattapan Teen Center".[23]

In 2023, Boston magazine ranked Kraft and his brothers Daniel and Jonathan at number 11 on its annual list of the "most influential Bostonians", grouping these three Kraft brothers as a single entity.[10] The following year, the magazine included Kraft and his brother Jonathan as separate entries the list, ranking Josh Kraft at #68 and Jonathan Kraft at #10.[24]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Kornbluh, Jacob (27 July 2020). "Daily Kickoff: What the Democratic Socialist wave means for New York + An interview with Josh Kraft as he takes over his family's philanthropy". Jewish Insider. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  2. ^ a b c "Five members elected to Brandeis University Board of Trustees". BrandeisNOW. www.brandeis.edu. April 25, 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e Moore, Mary (November 17, 2008). "Josh Kraft: Someone to look up to". www.bizjournals.com. Boston Business Journal. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  4. ^ a b c "2014 Alumni Excellence Award Recipient: Joshua M. Kraft '85". The Rivers School. www.rivers.org. 1 May 2014. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d e f "Joshua M. Kraft, Class of 1989". alumni-awards.williams.edu. Alumni Awards (Williams College). 2010. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Jonas, Gintautas Dumcius, Jennifer Smith, Bruce Mohl, Michael (1 December 2023). "Short takes: Josh Kraft for Mayor?". CommonWealth Beacon. Retrieved 31 January 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ Norton, Michael P. (18 July 2024). "Could a member of the Kraft family run for mayor of Boston?". NBC Boston. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  8. ^ a b Zieve-Cohen, Sam (27 July 2020). "Josh Kraft takes charge of his family's philanthropic efforts". Jewish Insider. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
  9. ^ Francisco, Alexandra (January 20, 2024). "Championing Community: Reflecting on Robert Kraft's pioneering 30 years of philanthropy with Patriots". New England Patriots. patriots.com. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  10. ^ a b "The 150 Most Influential Bostonians of 2023". Boston Magazine. 18 April 2023. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  11. ^ Bleichfeld, Avery (7 February 2024). "Josh Kraft to chair local Urban League board". The Bay State Banner. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  12. ^ a b c "Donor Lookup". Open Secrets. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  13. ^ a b Battenfeld, Joe (29 May 2024). "Campaign Against Michelle Wu Could Be Rude Reality Check for Josh Kraft". Boston Herald. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  14. ^ Multiple sources:
  15. ^ "Maura Healey? Martin Walsh? With Baker out, who might run for governor of Massachusetts?". The Boston Globe. December 1, 2021.
  16. ^ a b Battenfeld, Joe (6 December 2023). "Could outside moderate challenger target Ayanna Pressley in 2024?". Boston Herald. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  17. ^ Dumcius, Gintautas (15 December 2023). "Short takes: Wu, Kraft appearance creates some buzz". Commonwealth Beacon. Retrieved 18 December 2023. Not only does he not live in her district, Kraft has no interest in running against Pressley, a spokesperson confirmed this week.
  18. ^ Meehan, Doug (29 March 2023). "In announcing prostate cancer diagnosis, New England Patriots' Josh Kraft urges early detection". WCVB.
  19. ^ Madeja, Monica (7 April 2023). "Josh Kraft Shares Story of Prostate Cancer Battle". NBC Boston. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  20. ^ Sweeney, Emily (May 10, 2017). "Josh Kraft honored by Greater Boston PFLAG - The Boston Globe". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  21. ^ "Annual Holiday Luncheon - The Salvation Army Massachusetts Division". easternusa.salvationarmy.org. The Salvation Army Massachusetts Division. November 2022.
  22. ^ "Nichols graduates hear from Josh Kraft, President of New England Patriots Charitable Foundation, at commencement". Nichols College. May 9, 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  23. ^ "Josh Kraft Mattapan Teen Center". Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  24. ^ "The 150 Most Influential Bostonians in 2024". Boston Magazine. 22 April 2024. Retrieved 8 October 2024.
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