The Derrick Thomas / Neil Smith Third and Long Foundation strives to change the lives of 9 to 13 year old urban children facing challenging and even life-threatening situations.
Through social, cultural and educational activities and programs, the foundation helps participating children succeed in school and in an outside world possessing seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
MISSION STATEMENT
Derrick Thomas / Neil Smith
201 East Armour Blvd * Suite 333 * Kansas City, Missouri * 64111 * 816-931-5855 * fax 816-931-7758
A tax-exempt 501(c) 3 organization
Third and Long Foundation, Inc.
In football, “third and long” is a desperate situation where a team must gain monumental yardage for a first down. The children helped by the Third and Long Foundation face similar challenges when battling situations of delinquency, drugs, violence, crime and unemployment.
The program’s inner-city children live in communities where high levels of conventional literacy often are neither expected nor rewarded.
Just as “sacking” the quarterback in a third and long situation slows the other team’s momentum, Derrick Thomas hoped that the Foundation would “sack illiteracy” in the lives of the children in the program.
The Foundation, founded by Derrick in 1990, has achieved prominence in the Greater Kansas City community and growing recognition on a national level.
“Kindergarten to 12th grade is a third and long situation,” Derrick said. “These grade levels often determine whether many kids make it and go on to success, or are forced into discouraging situations.”
