USTA SERVES AWARDS
TENNIS AND EDUCATION GRANTS LOCALLY
USTA Serves, the National Charitable Foundation of the United States Tennis Association, announced today that it has awarded more than $400,000 in grants to 44 community tennis and education organizations during its 2012 spring funding cycle, four of those organizations in New England.
The bi-annual grants process, a national initiative of USTA Serves, was developed to provide disadvantaged, at-risk children with the opportunity to learn to play tennis and improve their academic skills in a structured format, and to help combat childhood obesity by promoting healthy lifestyles. To date, USTA Serves has disbursed $11 million to a variety of programs that support its mission.
Organizations awarded in New England were the Boys & Girls Clubs of Rutland, VT; the KingStreetCenter in Burlington, VT; Norwalk Grassroots Tennis (NGT) in Norwalk, CT; and Tenacity, Inc. in Boston, MA.
The Boys & Girls Club of America, which dates back over a century and took roots in Rutland in 1996, works to promote the social, educational, health, leadership and character development of boys and girls during critical periods of their growth. With The Boys & Girls Club of Rutland's membership exceeding 600 under-privileged youth, the grant will go towards expanding tennis programming and hiring older teens to teach tennis to the youth aged 6 to 14.
“I came from a low income family,” said Larry Bayle, Executive Director. “The opportunity to play tennis led me to college, where I was the first from my family to graduate. Getting children involved in tennis, particularly those that, traditionally, do not have access to the sport, is so important to creating bright futures.”
KingStreetCenter, established in 1971, provides community-based support for children and their families through educational and recreational programs. The grant will support one of KingStreetCenter’s core programs, Kids on the Ball, and also provide year-round tennis instruction for low-income children in Burlington, introducing children to tennis through Burlington's elementary schools. In doing so, the organization aims to improve life-skills, create healthy bodies, and elevate confidence and self-esteem of local youth.
“We are so grateful to USTA Serves -- not only for their generous funding each year -- but also for their guiding hand in the implementation of Kids on the Ball,” said Vicky Smith, Executive Director. “Summer season will be kicking off with lessons at Roosevelt and LeddyParks.”
NGT began in 1995 and operates on tennis courts at the two largest properties of the Norwalk Housing Authority. Funds from the grant will provide tutoring support for youth who need additional help and provide nutritional meals to participants. NGT will also assist students with college visits, pay for ACT/SAT testing fees, provide funding for a portion of college tuition for program graduates and a stipend for two Educational Advocates to serve as the liaison between NGT, schools and their families.
“Norwalk Grassroots Tennis aims to change the lives of inner city youth through tennis and education by providing a no-cost, year round program,” said Tracy McEvoy, Executive Director. “Through recent restructuring and expansion efforts, we are proud to be increasing our organization's services to provide our youth with a sound support system that focuses on education and nutrition.”
Tenacity, Inc., founded in 1999, is a Boston-based organization dedicated to helping at-risk urban youth develop skills, build character and find pathways to excellence. Combining tennis and fitness with literacy, tutoring and mentoring activities, Tenacity has served over 20,000 kids through after-school, in-school and summer programs. The grant will support the Pathway to Post-Secondary Success and the Summer Tennis & Reading programs, serving more than 7,000 youth. Funding will go toward the second year of The Next Chapter, a multiyear strategic plan to expand and enhance the programs serving at-risk youth through academics, tennis, and life skills development.
“Tenacity aims to support at-risk youth through tennis and education programs designed to improve health, build character and strive for academic excellence," said Ned Eames, Founder and President. “With Tenacity's focus on literacy, tennis, and life skills development, we believe we can work together with these children and their families to increase post-secondary success.”
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About USTA Serves
USTA Serves, the National Charitable Foundation of the USTA, provides financial support for disadvantaged youth and people with disabilities through tennis and education programs designed to improve health, build character, teach life skills and motivate students to strive for academic excellence. For more information on USTA Serves, visit
About USTA New England
USTA New England, one of 17 regional sections across the country that comprise the United States Tennis Association (USTA), is a not-for-profit organization committed to promoting and developing the growth of tennis and increasing participation in the sport in New England by offering quality recreational and competitive programs for people of all ages and abilities. For more information, visit