FOXBOROUGH, Mass…New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick today announced the official launch of the Bill Belichick Foundation, a nonprofit organization created to provide coaching, mentorship, and financial assistance to individuals, communities and organizations with a focus on the sports of football and lacrosse.

For 43 years, Bill Belichick's father, Steve, was a college football coach and scout, most notably at the Naval Academy, where he instilled the tenets of loyalty, discipline and commitment in his son. Through his association with the Naval Academy, Bill gained a profound appreciation for elite athletes, dedicated coaches and future leaders of our country. Also at an early age, he built his knowledge and love for football, which helped propel him into a life in coaching and ultimately one of the most successful careers in the history of the National Football League. Two of his children, Amanda Belichick, Women's Lacrosse Interim Head Coach at Wesleyan University and Steve Belichick, coaching assistant for the New England Patriots, have also forged coaching careers. Brian Belichick attends Trinity College, where he plays lacrosse. All three Belichick children have been by their father's side for many of his career coaching milestones, as Bill Belichick was with his father.

Belichick's mission is to bring the values of the Belichick family – a love of sports, coaching and team building – to the athletic leaders of tomorrow.

"My goal is to recognize, support and endow those with great potential who have a need for additional help and resources," said Belichick. "Mentorship has been ingrained in our family and we take a team approach to just about everything we do. We have been helped by so many people and we look forward to helping others however we can by relating our experiences and life lessons through a variety of athletic programs and services."

Bill Belichick has a long history of philanthropy and supports many causes, including a scholarship fund created in 2003 at Annapolis High School for students who have improved or excelled academically while participating in athletics. Belichick grew up in Annapolis, Md. and his commitment to the area remains strong. The Bill Belichick Foundation will formally expand that mission to the New England region and beyond.

As part of its launch, the Bill Belichick Foundation is teaming up with Celebrities for Charity to raffle off a chance to win a meet-and-greet and luxury suite tickets to watch the Patriots take on the Buffalo Bills at Gillette Stadium on Dec. 29, 2013. The lucky winner and a guest will attend the game in a luxury suite hosted by the Foundation's Executive Director, Linda Holliday. The winner will get the opportunity to meet Coach Belichick. In addition, the winner will be awarded an allowance of $500.00 for travel outside of Massachusetts, if needed, and an overnight stay at the Renaissance Hotel at Patriot Place in Foxborough, Mass. Proceeds from the raffle will benefit the Bill Belichick Foundation.

Tickets to the online raffle can be purchased for $2.00 and there are no limitations to how many tickets can be purchased per person. Tickets are available at netraffle.org , until 2:00p.m. ET on Friday, Dec. 27, 2013. The drawing will be held and the winner will be notified after the raffle closes and the winner is drawn.

Included in the Prize:

• Travel allowance of $500.00 for travel outside of Massachusetts if needed
• One night stay (Dec. 28, 2013) at the Renaissance Hotel at Patriot Place
• 2 luxury suite tickets to watch the New England Patriots vs. Buffalo Bills at Gillette Stadium on Dec. 29, 2013
• Two Pregame Field Passes
• One Parking Pass
• Winner and guest will meet Coach Belichick
• Winner will be awarded a cash prize in the amount of $498.75 to mitigate the winner's state and federal tax liability that results from winning the raffle. This prize is withheld and paid, on behalf of the winner, to the IRS and Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

For more information on the nonprofit or to inquire about possible sponsorship opportunities, visit www.billbelichickfoundation.org.