EN ESPAÑOL

Just because I'm a professional athlete, I have unbelievable power to influence and affect the lives of young people. I'm an All-Star shortstop for the New York Yankees and have four World Series championships. Partly because of that, it's time for me to give back to my community. I chose to do that by nurturing the dreams of today's youth in Michigan where I grew up, Tampa, Florida, where I live and New York, where I work. My foundation is based on a promise that I will do everything I can to keep kids off drugs and alcohol and promote healthy lifestyles as well as push motivation in the classroom.

Since I started Turn 2 in 1996, we have awarded more than $8 million dollars for substance abuse prevention programs, leadership development, college scholarships and athletic skills clinics. My goal is to guide kids in the right direction and help them become the leaders of tomorrow. I remember what it was like to be a kid growing up in Western Michigan where my hero was baseball giant, Dave Winfield. I knew that despite Winfield's demanding schedule, he still went out of his way to help others. I wanted to be just like Dave Winfield. When you're young, someone in the public eye can really make a difference in your life. For me, Dave Winfield was that someone. Through the Turn 2 Foundation, I can take my passion for youth and my desire to give back to the community and mobilize it into a very positive force. The Foundation uses this force to support programs that promote healthy lifestyles, academic achievement and leadership development among youth.

I'm privileged enough to have both of my parents and my sister, Sharlee, sit on the Board of Directors for the Foundation. My dad, Dr. S. Charles Jeter, is the President, my mom, Dorothy Jeter, is the Executive Director, and my sister, Sharlee Jeter, is the Vice President.

My father has a masters degree in social work and a doctorate in sociology. He has spent years treating patients with alcohol and drug problems. Dad has an awful lot to offer the foundation and he's committed to the positive work we're doing. Like me, my dad believes the Foundation can have a major impact on people's lives. We've also enjoyed working together as more than father and son.

My mother has always been a positive force in my life. She wore many hats while my sister and I grew up. She worked full-time as an accountant and spent every other moment of her life devoted to giving Sharlee and I everything we needed in order to live healthy, productive lives. From sitting on the board of the PTA in our schools to coaching our little league teams, mom did it all!

My family is proud of what I've started out to do with the Foundation because all my life we've been taught to be grateful and give back. I really am concerned about young people because when they fail, so much potential is destroyed. We're all excited about programs like "Jeter's Leaders," which recognizes young people with exceptional leadership skills. That way we can truly touch the lives of high-risk kids and hope to make a significant difference.

I can tell Turn 2 is making an impact from the letters I get. It seems that a lot of the mail is about a person who was down, then turned their life around because of the work of the Turn 2 Foundation.

If you would like more information, are interested in participating in the various programs sponsored by the Turn 2 Foundation, or would like to lend your support to this very worthwhile cause in any way, please contact the Foundation at:

Turn 2 Foundation, Inc.
215 Park Avenue South
Suite 1905
NY, NY 10003
Phone: 212-475-2339
Fax: 212-475-3378

Thanks for your interest and support of the Turn 2 Foundation. By working together we can help some very special kids fulfill their dreams and achieve everything they can.