Jack Raykovitz's resignation comes after child abuse charges agains former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky. (courts Creative Commons)

Jack Raykovitz resigned after heading the organization for 28 years, according to CNN. His resignation comes after former Penn State assistant football coach Sandusky was accused of raping at least eight boys he met through The Second Mile.

“I hope that my resignation brings with it the beginning of that restoration of faith in the community of volunteers and staff,” Raykovitz told The Daily Beast.

The Second Mile’s board of directors also announced an investigation of The Second Mile’s leadership team to ensure the children involved in the charity are safe.

"Although the allegations against Jerry Sandusky and the alleged incidents occurred outside Second Mile programs and events, this does not change the fact that the alleged sexual abuse involved Second Mile program children, nor does it lessen the terrible impact of sexual abuse on its victims," the organization said in a statement to the Pittsburg Post-Gazette.

A statement released by The Second Mile two days after Sandusky was charged with 40 counts of abusing children said that Raykovitz testified before a grand jury that he knew about allegations against Sandusky dating back to 2002, the Pittsburg Post-Gazette reported.

Raykovitz said he had been informed of an internal investigation of Sandusky by Penn State athletic director Tim Curley. In November 2008 The Second Mile began to keep Sandusky away from children, the statement said.

"Although he maintained there was no truth to the claims, we are an organization committed first and foremost to the safety and well-being of the children we serve,” the group’s statement said. “Consistent with that commitment and with The Second Mile policy, we immediately made the decision to separate him from all of our program activities involving children."

David Woodle, the vice chairman of The Second Mile’s board, will be in charge of daily operations.

Raykovitz’s resignation comes after news that the judge in the Sandusky case did volunteer work for The Second Mile.

Reach associate news editor Hannah Madans here.