Home » TIMag.com news » Awards » USTA Serves Awards Over $1 Million in Grants in 2008

USTA Serves Awards Over $1 Million in Grants in 2008

*WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., February 3, 2009 - *USTA Serves - Foundation for Academics. Character. Excellence., the philanthropic and charitable entity of the USTA, announced today that under its “Aces for Kids” umbrella, it has awarded 39 grants, 17 in conjunction with the USTA Public Affairs Committee, for a total of $574,700. The funding source for the 17 grants was the United States Department of Justice. The number of program grants awarded in 2008 was 58, for a total amount of $886,960. Combined with scholarship awards, the Foundation distributed almost $1.2 million in 2008.

USTA Serves awards “Aces for Kids” grants to programs that successfully combine tennis and education and help children pursue their goals and highest dreams by succeeding in school and becoming responsible citizens. The nonprofit organizations selected for funding offer a curriculum designed to address school truancy, poor academic performance, gang activity, underage drinking and drug abuse.

“Aces for Kids” is a national initiative of USTA Serves. It strives to promote healthy lifestyles by combating childhood/adult obesity by providing underserved, at-risk children the opportunity to learn to play tennis and improve their academic skills in a structured format. At “Aces for Kids” program sites, children between the ages of 5-18 learn about healthy nutrition and lifestyles, responsible citizenship, study skills, and computer literacy, and interact with a mentor and other students; attend college preparatory sessions, and, learn to play tennis in a team format.

“It is extremely rewarding to see how programs across the country are using USTA Serves funding to help children improve academically and learn positive life skills which will help them grow to be healthy, productive adults,” said Karen Martin-Eliezer, Chief Executive, USTA Serves. “We are grateful to the USTA, and so many corporations and individual donors for the generous support that empowers USTA Serves to allocate life-changing funds.”

The 2008 Year-End grants recipients:

1. An Achievable Dream, Newport News, Va.
2. Atlanta Youth Tennis Foundation, Atlanta, Ga.
3. Boys & Girls Club of the Big Island, Hilo, Hawaii
4. CHAMPS Afterschool Program, School District of Erie, Pa., Erie, Pa.
5. Communities in Schools of the Charleston Area, Charleston, S.C.
6. Embrace Your Dreams, Bethlehem, Pa.
7. Escuela Dolores Gomez de Roman, Arecibo, Puerto Rico
8. First Serve of the Palm Beaches, Palm Beach, Fla.
9. Harlem Junior Tennis & Education Program, New York, N.Y.
10. Hebni Nutrition Consultants, Orlando, Fla.
11. Jewish Council for Youth Services, Chicago, Ill.
12. The Katie at the Bat Team, Narberth, Pa.
13. KIPP Endeavor Academy, Kansas City, Mo.
14. Mentoring USA, New York, N.Y.
15. Portland After School Tennis, Portland, Ore.
16. Reach for College!, Inc., Washington, D.C.
17. Rodney Street Tennis & Tutoring, Wilmington, Del.
18. Tennis & Education, Inc., St. Paul, Minn.
19. Tennis Success, Corpus Christi, Texas
20. University of Akron, Dept. Of Sport Science & Wellness, Akron, Ohio
21. VCU Foundation (Lobs and Lessons), Richmond, Va.
22. Washington Tennis & Education Foundation, Washington, D.C.

The 2008 Year-End Public Affairs grants recipients:

1. Annapolis Area Tennis School, Annapolis, Md.
2. Black Women in Sport Foundation, Philadelphia, Pa.
3. Carver Community Organization, Evansville, Ind.
4. Children & Family Urban Ministries, Des Moines, Iowa
5. Flatbush Development Corporation, Brooklyn, N.Y.
6. Genesis School, Kansas City, Mo.
7. Greater Miami Tennis & Education Foundation, Miami, Fla.
8. Helm, Inc., Canton, Miss.
9. Kids Unlimited of Oregon, Medford, Ore.
10. Latin American Youth Center, Washington, DC
11. Love to Serve, Chicago, Ill.
12. New York Junior Tennis League, Woodside, N.Y.
13. Recreation Wish List Committee, Washington, DC
14. Ricardo Flores Magon Academy, Inc., Westminster, Colo.
15. Tennis in the ‘Hood, Fayetteville, Ga.
16. Washington Tennis & Education Foundation, Washington, DC
17. Youth Development Association, Huntsville, Ala.

Posted on February 3, 2009
Permalink