Michelle Williams - Michelle Williams Backing Autism Organisation's $35 Million Project

The former Destiny's Child star is a spokesperson for the Training, Education & Research Institute (Teri), which helps children and adults with autism and learning disabilities.

The organisation's officials are hoping to raise money to fund a $35 million (£21.8 million) specialist facility in San Marcos, California and Williams is appealing to her fans to donate what they can to the appeal after admitting she was "blown away" by the work of volunteers and experts.

She tells Infdaily.com, "It’s such a great organisation dealing with people with autism and other developmental disabilities. I got a chance to meet some of the residents first hand in the home... then I found out that they’re trying to build a 20-acre facility that will have (an) equestrian centre, aquatics, arts and crafts facility and theatre and I was just blown away.

"It’s a great place. You can donate of course and you can also go there and see what’s going on at the facility. The organisation is really hands-on. They are really trying to find innovative ways for people to live their lives."

And Williams admits the cause is close to her heart.

She adds, "When you have autism or a development disability, of course you appreciate research to try and find a cure or preventative measure, but hey, it’s not like that right now. My Godson has autism so he and his family need some tools to live now.

"I’m not saying that we don’t need research, of course that’s so important, but we need to focus on ways to live with it right now too. They might find a cure in 30 years but that doesn’t help this person right now."