USTA FOUNDATION AWARDS TWO WASHINGTON D.C. PROGRAMS GRANTS

USTA Foundation, the national charitable organization of the United States Tennis Association (USTA), today announced it has awarded two Washington D.C., groups with $10,000 program grants: the Tennis & Education Foundation and the Recreation Wish List Committee.

The foundation concluded its 2014 grant funding cycle by awarding $741,500 in grants to 44 organizations that provide tennis and education to under-resourced youth and people with disabilities, as well those organizations with a need for program infrastructure support.

Washington Tennis and Education Foundation’s mission is to build life champions through tennis and academic excellence. WTEF will use the grant to help fund its highly effective tennis and education programs, which have grown significantly since the opening of a new tennis and education center in November 2012. Enrollment for the Center for Excellence has increased to 130 children, a 50 percent increase, in the summer session and to 100 during the school year. More than 350 children ages 2, 3 and 4 are being introduced to tennis at WTEF through its unique and innovative Tennis Tots program.

For more information, visit: http://www.wtef.org/.

The Recreation Wish List Committee provides youth in the Washington, D.C., area with quality out-of-school education, cultural enrichment and tennis programs. The goals of the program include: improving the academic average of every child, increasing understanding of technology, increase understanding of the role of sports in promoting teamwork, and building self-esteem and providing recreation as an alternative to anti-social behavior. The tennis program provides a wide range of instruction, from the rules of the game and basic skills for beginners to high performance coaching for advanced junior players. Tennis instruction is provided by USPTR-certified tennis coaches.

For more information, visit: http://www.recreationwishlist.org/

The USTA Foundation program grant is a biannual national initiative that was established to award organizations that successfully combine tennis and education to give under-resourced youth and individuals with disabilities the opportunity to play tennis and improve their academic skills in a structured setting. These programs also strive to help combat childhood obesity by promoting healthy lifestyles.

“The USTA Foundation is honored to recognize such outstanding organizations around this country, which greatly impact so many deserving students, children in need and the communities in which they live,” said Dan Faber, Executive Director, USTA Foundation. “Their amazing work makes a difference in thousands of lives across the country and truly inspires us all.”

To date, USTA Foundation has awarded more than $19 million in grants and scholarships to hundreds of programs benefitting thousands of children and adults through tennis, education and health programming, primarily through the NJTL network and also through efforts to assist Military Personnel, Veterans, and individuals with disabilities.