Ja’Whaun Bentley, Patriots teammates visit Pine Street Inn before World Homeless day to share ‘there’s a light at the end of the tunnel’

Bentley and his family’s struggle with homelessness has been well documented, and since he was drafted by the Patriots in 2018, he’s developed a close relationship with Pine Street Inn — New England’s leading provider of housing, shelter, street outreach and job training to the region’s unhoused population.

To raise awareness about World Homeless Day on Oct. 10, the Bentley was joined Tuesday by DeMario Douglas, Cole Strange, Antonio Gibson, Michael Jordan, Liam Fornadel, Terrell Jennings, and Matt Landers to pack hygiene kits, distribute Empowerment coats and winter hats, and serve coffee and breakfast to guests of the shelter.

“Pine Street is definitely a safe haven,” Bentley said.

“I like being close-knit with these folks, whether it be giving away coats, food, going out at night in the cold, keeping everybody warm, raising money for foundations and charities — everything they do is it serves a purpose and it’s powerful. That’s something that I needed growing up, and I know that everybody else in these situations, you have those tough days where you’re trying to find a little kick to kind of just move forward. Just being able to see how many people have a hand in the pot who are trying to get the same job done is powerful and it’s meaningful to a lot of people.”