USTA Serves, the National Charitable Foundation of the United States Tennis Association, has granted 41 community tennis and education organizations in the U.S. more than $400,000 in grants. Combined with scholarship awards, USTA Serves distributed more than $1.5 million in 2011.

The bi-annual grant process, a national initiative of USTA Serves, was developed to provide disadvantaged, at-risk children with the opportunity to learn to play tennis and improve their academic skills in a structured format and to help combat childhood obesity by promoting healthy lifestyles. To date, USTA Serves has awarded more than $10 million to a variety of programs that share those aims.

"USTA Serves is thrilled to continue to support great organizations throughout the country who go above and beyond in their efforts to make a difference in the lives of America’s youth by using tennis as a vehicle for change," says Mary Carillo, President, USTA Serves. "These organizations share our belief that tennis, combined with education, can have a lasting effect on the lives of children and help pave the way to a brighter future. It’s an honor to support such organizations, and we applaud them in their efforts."

The grant recipients are chosen by a Grant Proposal Review Committee comprised of USTA Serves board members and USTA national staff, with important input from USTA sections. Grants are awarded to programs that successfully combine tennis and education and help children pursue their goals and highest dreams by leading healthier lives, succeeding in school and becoming healthier citizens.

The following programs were awarded 2011 year-end grants by USTA Serves:

1.  Academy Cares – Boys & Girls Club Newark, Chatham, N.J.
2.  Adaptive Athletics Association, Mountain Center, Calif.
3.  Battlefield Community Tennis Association, Jackson, Miss.
4.  Break the Barriers, Inc., Fresno, Calif.
5.  City Parks Foundation, New York, N.Y.
6.  Crosscourt Tennis, Nashville, Tenn.
7.  Dade County Sports Foundation, Miami, Fla.
8.  Down the Line and Beyond Foundation, Villanova, Pa.
9.  First Serve Santa Ana, Santa Ana, Calif.
10. Hamilton County Community Tennis Association, Carmel, Ind.
11. Harper for Kids, San Francisco
12. Hawaii Tennis Council, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
13. Heart of Variety Fund, Philadelphia
14. HERO, Inc., Purchase, N.Y.
15. Houston Tennis Association, Houston
16. Hui Kako O Kenika, Hilo, Hawaii
17. I Have a Dream Foundation of Boulder County, Boulder, Colo.
18. InnerCity Tennis Foundation, Minneapolis
19. International Rescue Committee, Inc., San Diego
20. Kids and Police Tennis Association, West Palm Beach, Fla.
21. Latin American Youth Center, Inc., Washington, D.C.
22. Love to Serve, Inc., Chicago
23. MACH Academy, Inc., Augusta, Ga.
24. New Haven Youth Tennis & Education, New Haven, Conn.
25. Our Military Kids Inc., McLean, Va.
26. Pikes Peak Community Tennis Association, Colorado Springs, Colo.
27. Portland After-School Tennis & Education, Inc., Portland, Ore.
28. Project Lovematch, Inc., Saddle River, N.J.
29. Rodney Street Tennis & Tutoring Association, Wilmington, Del.
30. Set Point Tennis Organization, Reading, Pa.
31. Shinnecock Indian Education, South Hampton, N.Y.
32. Special Olympics Alaska, Anchorage, Alaska
33. SportAbility of Iowa, Solon, Iowa
34. Sportsmen’s Tennis Club, Dorchester, Mass.
35. Tennis for Charity, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio
36. United Neighbors, Inc., Davenport, Iowa   
37. University of Akron, Akron, Ohio    
38. Wright State Foundation, Kettering, Ohio
39. YMCA of Greater Kansas City, Kansas City, Mo.
40. YMCA of Metropolitan Atlanta, Atlanta 
41. Zina Garrison All Court Tennis Academy, Houston

USTA Serves, the National Charitable Foundation of the USTA, provides financial support for disadvantaged youth and people with disabilities through tennis and education programs designed to improve health, build character, teach life skills and motivate students to strive for academic excellence. For more information on USTA Serves, visit www.usta.com/foundation.