USTA Foundation, the charitable arm of the USTA which has awarded more than $19 million in grants and scholarships to hundreds of programs benefiting thousands of children and adults through tennis has awarded two grants to the Metro Atlanta area.
Last week, it announced awards to the Sandy Springs Tennis Association in Sandy Springs, Ga., a $5,000 program grant. 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.
KidsLuvTennis, run by the Sandy Springs Tennis Association, is a grass-roots tennis and nutritional education program for elementary school children in the community of Sandy Springs, Ga. The USTA Foundation grant will fund costs of running the program such as the tennis professional salaries, the school gymnasium rental fees, nutritional materials including snacks, T-shirts and tennis equipment. SSTA, which is dedicated to the growth and promotion of tennis, was developed out of a need of the newly formed city to provide tennis programs for the citizens of the community. The goal is to help children learn the sport of tennis, learn about healthy nutrition and all the components of life skills that accompany them.
“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.”
Another grant was awarded to the Atlanta Youth Tennis & Education Foundation (AYTEF) in Atlanta, in the form of a $20,000 capacity building grant.
The AYTEF’s mission is to promote the physical and mental development of underserved youth through tennis and education. The goals are to provide a safe, healthy, and structured environment for children during the non-school hours with a caring adult and deliver tennis and learning opportunities that meet the needs of youth from varied backgrounds. The AYTEF provides youth with opportunities to develop healthy and active lifestyles and learn individual skills on the tennis court while gaining leadership and academic support off the court. The program was selected as the 2010 USTA Georgia and Southern NJTL Chapter of the Year and the 2013 USTA Georgia NJTL Chapter of the Year.
For more information on the AYTEF, please visit www.aytef.org.
