DALLAS, April 24, 2014
/PRNewswire/ -- Each year, college football's most outstanding
player raises the Heisman Memorial Trophy, a triumphant gesture
recognized by anyone involved in the sport. This weekend, six
former Heisman winners will get together to lift spirits when they
conduct a youth football clinic and help raise the walls of a new
Habitat for Humanity home – an act that will change the lives of a
local Dallas family forever.
Kicking off the weekend on Friday is the Heisman Youth Football
Clinic, an event created last year in collaboration with Nissan,
the Heisman Trophy Trust and United Way. This year, United Way of
Metropolitan Dallas identified Jubilee Park & Community
Center's Afterschool program as an exemplary initiative that would
benefit greatly from a football clinic of this kind.
Leading the football clinic will be Heisman trophy winner and
former Dallas Cowboy great
Roger Staubach (1963, Navy). Joining
Staubach in running drills and engaging more than 150 youths will
be fellow Heisman winners Billy Sims
(1978, Oklahoma), George Rogers (1980, South Carolina) and Ricky Williams (1998, Texas). The Jubilee Park & Community
Center is located in an underserved area of southeast
Dallas.
Then on Saturday, Sims, Rogers and Williams will team up with
two more Heisman winners – Dallas native Tim Brown (1987, Notre
Dame) and former Cowboy Herschel Walker (1982, Georgia) – and a Dallas Area Habitat for
Humanity construction crew to help raise the walls of a new home.
This unique collaboration grew out of existing relationships
between Nissan and its longtime partners Habitat for Humanity and
the Heisman Trophy Trust. Together, the three organizations will
hammer, saw and raise walls.
"It's an absolute honor to be here with my Heisman brothers and
lend a helping hand to those in need of affordable housing," said
Brown. "Winning the Heisman was a monumental feat in all our lives,
but little can really compare to the feeling of helping others. To
have the opportunity to do this in my hometown of Dallas – just
miles away from where I grew up – makes it that much more special,
and I thank the Heisman Trust, Nissan, Habitat for Humanity and
United Way for helping make this a reality."
"In Nissan's first-ever build with both Habitat for Humanity and
the Heisman Trust last year, we saw first-hand the power of working
together to change lives for the better, and the smiles on family
members' faces was an incredible reminder of the importance of
community service," said Nissan Marketing Vice President
Jon Brancheau. "Together with
Habitat for Humanity and the Heisman Trust, we're continuing our
mission to improve the communities where our employees and
customers live, and we're grateful to these athletes for joining in
this one-of-a-kind partnership to build this house."
In 2011, Nissan launched the "Heisman House" concept to
highlight its sponsorship of The Heisman Memorial Trophy, which is
awarded annually to an outstanding college football player. The
campaign gathers many of the most celebrated college football
players of the last 50 years into the fraternal order of the
Heisman House. Since then, a number of Heisman winners have joined
Nissan in support of its ongoing Habitat for Humanity efforts.
"We're proud to work alongside great partners, especially The
Heisman Trust, Nissan and the former Heisman winners here today,
who are committed to making a difference and transforming the life
of a family," said Bill Hall, CEO,
Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity. "There are few experiences more
profound than empowering a hard-working family in realizing the
dream of owning their first home."
Nissan invites all its stakeholders to support Habitat for
Humanity. Point-of-sale materials in dealerships and communications
to consumers share information about its Habitat partnership.
NissanUSA.com visitors can click through to Habitat's website to
make a donation or find volunteer opportunities across the U.S.
Grants from Nissan help sponsor volunteers who build homes through
Habitat's annual Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project, provide
Nissan vehicles to Habitat affiliates, and support sustainability
summits for affiliates and their communities.
Nissan's national partnership with Habitat dates to 2005,
following hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Since 2006, Nissan has
contributed more than $12 million to
Habitat for Humanity. Nissan employees have helped to build more
than 55 homes across the United
States, and the company has donated 120 vehicles to support
Habitat's mission.
About Nissan North America
In North America, Nissan's operations include
automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing,
sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. Nissan is
dedicated to improving the environment under the Nissan Green
Program and has been recognized as an ENERGY STAR® Partner of the
Year in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 by the U.S Environmental
Protection Agency. More information on Nissan in North America and the complete line of Nissan
and Infiniti vehicles can be found online at www.NissanUSA.com and
www.InfinitiUSA.com, or visit the Americas media sites
NissanNews.com and InfinitiNews.com.
About Nissan
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.,
Japan's second-largest automotive
company, is headquartered in Yokohama,
Japan, and is part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Operating
with more than 236,000 employees globally, Nissan sold more than
4.9 million vehicles and generated revenue of 9.6 trillion yen (USD
116.16 billion) in fiscal 2012. Nissan delivers a
comprehensive range of over 60 models under the Nissan and Infiniti
brands. In 2010, Nissan introduced the Nissan LEAF, and continues
to lead in zero-emission mobility. The LEAF, the first mass-market,
pure-electric vehicle launched globally, is now the best-selling EV
in history. For more information on our products, services and
commitment to sustainable mobility, visit our website at
http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/.
About Habitat for Humanity International
Habitat for Humanity International's vision is a world where
everyone has a decent place to live. Anchored by the conviction
that housing provides a critical foundation for breaking the cycle
of poverty, Habitat has helped more than 4 million people
construct, rehabilitate or preserve homes since 1976. Habitat also
advocates to improve access to decent and affordable shelter and
supports a variety of funding models that enable families with
limited resources to make needed improvements on their homes as
their time and resources allow. As a nonprofit Christian housing
organization, Habitat works in more than 70 countries and welcomes
people of all races, religions and nationalities to partner in its
mission. To learn more, donate or volunteer visit habitat.org.
About Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity
Dallas
Area Habitat for Humanity engages community partners, empowers
low-income families to be successful homeowners, and transforms
long forgotten neighborhoods through its revitalization
efforts. Habitat for Humanity's vision is a world where
everyone has a decent place to live. Dallas Habitat believes that
hard working individuals and families be provided the opportunity
to live in thriving neighborhoods where hopes and dreams are
realized for generations to come because poverty housing is
socially, politically and spiritually unacceptable. Since 1986,
Dallas Habitat has served over 1,400 low-income families using
affordable homeownership as an anchor for hope, change, and
stabilization resulting in an investment of approximately
$140 million in more than 25
neighborhoods for families that pay nearly $2 million annually in property taxes in
Dallas County. Dallas Area Habitat
is the largest nonprofit builder of single-family homes in the
City of Dallas. For more
information, visit www.dallas-habitat.org.
About The Heisman Trophy Trust
The Heisman
Memorial Trophy annually recognizes the outstanding college
football player in the United States. Winners epitomize great
ability combined with diligence, perseverance and hard work.
The Heisman Trophy Trust ensures the continuation and integrity of
this award. The Trust, furthermore, has a charitable mission to
support amateur athletes and to provide greater opportunities to
the youth of our country. Our goal through these endeavors is for
The Heisman Trophy to symbolize the fostering of a sense of
community responsibility and service to our youth, especially those
disadvantaged or afflicted.
About United Way of Metropolitan Dallas
United
Way of Metropolitan Dallas offers North Texans highly effective
ways to help people change their lives forever. United Way is one
of the largest non-governmental funders — investing nearly
$50 million in one year — for
programs focused on Education, Income and Health in Dallas, Collin, Rockwall and southern Denton counties. By breaking the destructive
cycles of dropouts, poverty and poor health for hundreds of
thousands of people each year, United Way donors, volunteers and
advocates create long-term improvements throughout the region.
United Way of Metropolitan Dallas currently funds Dallas Area
Habitat for Humanity and Jubilee Park and Community Center as
exceptional programs furthering community Income and Education
goals. To learn more, please visit UnitedWayDallas.org.
About Jubilee Park and Community Center
Jubilee
Park & Community Center was formed with the mission to be a
catalyst for community renewal and enrichment in the surrounding
South Dallas/Fair Park
neighborhood. Their approach is a unique, comprehensive model for
community revitalization. They address each of the main factors
that create vitality in a community: education, public safety,
public health, housing, and community ownership.
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SOURCE Nissan North America
