The philanthropic and charitable entity of the United States Tennis Association, USTA Serves, announced the award of 13 grants in its 2009 spring “Aces for Kids” funding cycle, totaling $252,000. Apple Ridge Farm, headquartered in Roanoke and located in Floyd, will receive a $20,000 grant.
USTA Serves awards grants to programs that successfully combine tennis and education and help children pursue their goals and highest dreams by succeeding in school and becoming responsible citizens.
“Aces for Kids,” a national initiative of USTA Serves, strives to promote healthy lifestyles by combating childhood/adult obesity by providing disadvantaged, at-risk children the opportunity to learn to play tennis and improve their academic skills in a structured format. At Aces for Kids program sites, children between the ages of 5 to 18 learn about healthy nutrition and lifestyles, responsible citizenship, study skills, and computer literacy. They are often afforded the opportunity to interact with a mentor and other students, attend college preparatory sessions, and learn to play tennis in a team format.
The USTA Serves grant will be used to support the Apple Ridge Farm Academic Summer Camp, which offers Roanoke’s inner-city youth, ages six to 16, an opportunity they would not otherwise have – to enjoy a mountain camp experience and gain life skills that will serve them in their home environments.
Peter Lewis, Executive Director for Apple Ridge Farm said, “We are so pleased to receive this wonderful support from USTA for our Academic Summer Camp program.”
“The goal of these incredible programs is to help children learn to make healthy lifestyle choices, teach life skills and support and encourage academic success,” said Karen Martin-Eliezer, Chief Executive, USTA Serves. “The collaborative efforts and financial assistance of the USTA and numerous corporations and individual donors has allowed us to allocate funds to these worthwhile, life-changing organizations.”
