COLORADO SPRINGS — NFL Hall-of-Famer Deion Sanders defended the Koch brothers here on Saturday as he announced a new initiative with Charles Koch's anti-poverty group to help people in the Dallas area.

Sanders told reporters he's "all in" with his new work with the 501(c)(3) Stand Together, and said the press has unfairly cast the Kochs in its stories.

"When you're someone of status and significant wealth, there's a tremendous expectation, and it's not easy to fulfill all those expectations," he said.

"You talk about a family that has one desire: to make this country a better place," Sanders said. "To level the playing field, to inspire, encourage, motivate. And that's what they do, and that's who they are, and I'm thankful to be partnered with them."

When asked if he had any second thoughts about signing up with a Koch-affiliated group, he said, "none whatsoever."

Sanders also seemed to dismiss the idea that there are two sides politically when it comes to helping people.

"I think I chose correctly," he said. "I'm happy where I am and who I'm with, because we share a lot of the same values and goals, and I'm thankful to be part of this team."

Sanders and the Koch-backed group Stand Together launched a new joint initiative on Saturday, Prime 5.

The initiative is aimed at helping at-risk families in the Dallas area on issues such as joblessness, education, addiction and trauma, personal debt and family breakdowns.

Sanders was in Colorado Springs for the weekend to help raise funds for the initiative, just as conservatives from around the country were gathering for the Seminar Network.

"We are committed to helping people improve their lives," he said. "This is an opportunity to provoke real change in our community and provide effective assistance to those who live in constant struggle."

Evan Feinberg, executive director of Stand Together, said his group had been working in Dallas when it learned Sanders was doing similar work. The two quickly joined forces from there.

"As great an athlete as Deion is, he is just as talented off the field inspiring individuals to reach their potential," Feinberg said. "We are proud to partner with him."

Sanders said that even as an NFL player, he would spend his off days helping at-risk kids, and said working with the Kochs lets him help contribute even more.

"I wanted to be involved, because this is something that I do," he said. "Football and baseball is what I played, but this is who I am."