USTA Northeastern Ohio's Inner City Tennis program and USTA Northern Indiana's South Bend CTA are the recipients for this year's MY Gift to Kids Tennis' grants. The campaign raised more than $18,000 in the month-long campaign, which was designed to benefit youth tennis programs across the Midwest section. The remarkable total was more than double what the campaign raised in 2012.
The Inner City Tennis program will be awarded an additional $1,000 after generating $5,870 in donations during the month of October. The South Bend CTA, meanwhile, earned an extra $500 after receiving $5,471 in support.
The deadline to submit donations to the 12 youth tennis programs has been extended to November 30th of this year, however, the donations will not count toward the grant awards. Click here to make a donation and click here to view the totals received during the campaign.
MORE ON THE RECIPIENTS:
Inner City Tennis | USTA Northeast Ohio
The Tennis and Tutoring (TNT) program is a new program for 30 children, fourth to sixth grade, selected from those who participated in the Inner City Tennis Clinics (ICTC) eight-week summer program. The TNT program is designed to help further assist these children with their tennis skills, beyond what they learned in the summer program.
Over the course of 35 weeks, the children will participate in two-hour sessions immediately after school, one hour of tennis instruction and one hour of tutoring. The program will provide all equipment, indoor court time and USTA memberships for each student. All instruction will take place at Thurgood Marshall Recreation Center in the Hough neighborhood. Although the recreation center is being donated in-kind by the City of Cleveland division of Parks and Recreation, the program hopes to raise $200,000 over the next six months in order to supplement the principal founders and ensure that all participants receive the full benefit of the program.
South Bend CTA | USTA Northern Indiana
The South Bend Community Tennis Association is a not-for-profit organization that promotes and supports tennis in the greater South Bend area. The association offers numerous programs and activities for people of all ages, with the overall goal of increasing local participation in the sport.
In order to support local junior tennis players in their endeavors, the association provides scholarships that help pay for instruction and play opportunities that recipients otherwise may not be able to afford. Over the past four years, over $32,000 has been awarded to deserving junior players for lessons, equipment and tournament fees. The association also focuses on encouraging local Physical Education teachers to introduce tennis in their curriculum. Funding is needed to provide equipment, teaching resources and training.
As part of its efforts to increase awareness and participation in tennis events within the community, the association partners with the University of Notre Dame tennis teams to offer a free community tennis clinic. The association also recognizes individuals who have made an impact in the local community during its annual cookout. Additional funding will help the association expand its programming for all ages and continue its financial support of junior players in need of assistance.