The Judy Levering Leadership Initiative (JLLI) was created in 2011 to honor Judy Levering, the first woman to serve as President of the United States Tennis Association (USTA) and founding member of the USTA Foundation. This fund was started to support her longtime efforts to strengthen and help develop new and growing tennis and education organizations. JLLI funds provide the support, resources, mentorship, and programming that newer NJTL chapters need to become strong, effective, and self-sustaining.  The mentorship programs that JLLI provides connects senior leaders from successful, already established NJTL chapters, with the newer organizations to provide best practices, general ideas, and management advice to help build capacity and leadership skills. Funds raised through JLLI help fortify emerging grassroots organizations with the resources they need to deliver more effective and quality tennis and educational instruction to under-resourced youth nationwide. 

“Every child has a mind and a body, and every child should have the opportunity to exercise both. When we make a difference in a child’s life, we give them a chance to make difference in the world”- Judy Levering