Derrick Williams Foundation Launches Texting Campaign to Build New Learning Center/Facility

Online, April 4, 2012 (Newswire.com) - Derrick Williams, former Penn State star and current Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver, is determined to give back to the young athletes in his Maryland hometown during the NFL offseason.

"I've always enjoyed attending events and working with kids. When I began to think of what I wanted to do to give back, it seemed fitting to establish a facility where it's a one-stop shop type of place. Right now, there's really no place where student athletes can go to get tutoring, ACT/SAT prep and the athletic training under one roof. So I decided I should do something about that and make it happen," says Williams.

Williams established the Derrick Williams Foundation under United Charitable Programs when he was drafted by the Detroit Lions in 2009. Through his Foundation, Williams has launched a campaign to raise funds to build a new athletic learning center, called Determined 2 Win (D2W), near his hometown in Prince George's County, Maryland this summer. To make a $10 tax-deductible donation to help this effort please text the word, WIN to 50555. The donation will be added to your next phone bill from your wireless carrier.

The D2W facility will have a learning center that includes two classrooms that will hold daily tutoring sessions, a 20-station computer lab, a kitchen to serve healthy food to student athletes, and a complete gym with 30 yards of turf. There will also be a conference room that the community will be able to use for meetings and fundraising events, and for the athletes to use for film study.

The Derrick Williams Foundation will begin a year-round program called the "6 for Success" for all Prince George's County high school student athletes. Each semester the Foundation will enroll 100 new student athletes into their program implementing the system immediately. Each enrolled athlete will be required to attend six hours of tutoring and study sessions every week before being allowed into the gym area to work out with the trainers, which is run by local company and affiliate, Enhanced Training Champions (ETC) Training. All athletes enrolled in the "6 for Success" program are also required to attend a Saturday session of an ACT and SAT pre-course once a month.

About the Derrick Williams Foundation

The Derrick Williams Foundation is sponsored by United Charitable Programs, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All donations to the Derrick Williams Foundation are tax-deductible. The mission of the Derrick Williams Foundation is to improve under-served young adults' personal development, educational preparedness, and to promote a healthy lifestyle. The Derrick Williams Foundation strives to empower socially responsible young adults to maximize their potential. For Media questions please contact Sherrie Handrinos at 734-341-6859.