How Your Donation Supports Tennis

As a non-profit charitable organization, USTA Mid-Atlantic helps people and communities grow stronger, healthier, and more connected through tennis. We aim to make tennis the most accessible sport in the region and want everyone to have the opportunity to experience the lifelong benefits of tennis.

One of the ways we do this is by introducing youth to tennis through after school and summer camp programs.

When you make a tax-deductible donation, you help with program expenses such as these:

Donate today, and make an impact beyond the net.

USTA Mid-Atlantic Section, Inc. is an exempt organization as described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; EIN 54-1472806. All donations made to USTA Mid-Atlantic Section Inc. are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

Five Ways to Give to Tennis on Giving Tuesday

On Giving Tuesday, it can feel hectic trying to figure out the best ways to give back. You want to make the most of the day and ensure you are contributing in a meaningful way and know that your contribution will really make a difference. Now is a great time to think about how you want to celebrate Giving Tuesday and prepare to get involved, especially to support your passion – tennis!

Giving Tuesday is a popular day to give back to many types of charities and organizations. While most associate this day with making a monetary donation, there are other actions, in addition to making a gift, you can take to show your support to the causes you are passionate about.

We’ve rounded up a list of five ideas for you to help make giving back to tennis in the Mid-Atlantic region easy.

1. Make plans with a friend to play tennis! Hit around at your local court and have some fun. Snap a pic and share it with us on social media by tagging us and using #GivingTuesday and #USTAMAS. Go one step further on Giving Tuesday and plan to sign up to play on a local league or join the fun in our low-pressure social tennis events. When you join us out on the courts you strengthen the fabric of the Mid-Atlantic tennis community.

2. Make a Gift! On Giving Tuesday, you’ll feel great giving a gift to USTA Mid-Atlantic Section knowing it will support the growth of tennis in the Mid-Atlantic and help increase access to the sport for all people. Simply go online and make a tax-deductible donation. Need some motivation? Check out why this local tennis player chooses to donate. Bonus reason: Your gift will be matched!

This Giving Tuesday, you have the opportunity to get DOUBLE the match! USTA Mid-Atlantic has an anonymous donor match this year for $10,000 and funds are still available to help exhaust this match! In addition, Facebook has also announced it’s 2019 Giving Tuesday match of up to $7 million! To take advantage of the Facebook match and our match set your alarm for 7:55 AM EDT on Dec. 3. At 8 AM, get online and go to USTA Mid-Atlantic’s Facebook page. The Facebook match will go LIVE at 8 AM so make sure you are there and ready to donate! All gifts made after 8AM EDT on Giving Tuesday will be matched up to $100,000 per charity and up to $20,000 per individual. This is a great opportunity to amplify your impact and help bring tennis to those that need it most!

3. Help Teach Tennis. USTA Mid-Atlantic delivers high-quality after school and summer camp tennis programs in our region. Our programs help kids learn tennis skills, build character and give kids a healthy activity they can do for life! We’ve helped thousands of children learn tennis in these programs and are looking for individuals that can coach with us – don’t worry, we fully train coaches and any tennis experience level is welcome! Learn more about working with us and open opportunities.

4. Start a Fundraising Page on Facebook. This is another easy way to get involved on Giving Tuesday. Use our guide to create a fundraising page on Facebook and rally your friends to donate to USTA Mid-Atlantic Section and help more kids get access to tennis. Gifts to your Facebook fundraising page can also be matched!

5. Spread the Word about Tennis. You follow us on all the major social media platforms, right? If not, then plan to give us a follow on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. On Giving Tuesday, an easy way you can show support is to share a social media post from us with your friends and encourage others to follow along to find out more about tennis (and maybe why you are on the courts so much)!

Any action you take to support tennis and USTA Mid-Atlantic Section on Giving Tuesday is one that will make an impact. Your support may mean that one more child gets the chance to learn tennis for the very first time, when before they had not been able to play. Your gift may help with a tennis court refurbishment project that will make a community court a safe place to play, or you may be helping support a scholarship to a junior player that enables them to pay for a high-level tournament they wouldn’t have been able to afford.

USTA Mid-Atlantic Section is a 501c3 non-profit on a mission to promote and develop the growth of tennis. We aim to make tennis the most accessible sport in the region and our highest priority is to introduce ALL children to the sport. How will you show support on Giving Tuesday?

Find out more about our mission and why you should support USTA Mid-Atlantic this Giving Tuesday.

Amir F: USTA Mid-Atlantic is for Everyone

This month we caught up with USTA Mid-Atlantic volunteer, Amir Frydman. Amir shared what he loves about tennis, why he thinks it is important to support the growth of tennis and why he donates to USTA Mid-Atlantic.

Why do you choose to support USTA Mid-Atlantic Section?

Amir F.: I support USTA Mid-Atlantic because it is an amazing organization. There is nothing like seeing the joy people of all ages get from playing tennis. When they say tennis is a sport for life, it is absolutely true. USTA Mid-Atlantic has done a great job getting kids involved from the time they can hold a youth racquet to adults of every age playing tennis. There is no age limit especially when you fall in love with the sport.

For me, the catalyst for a love of tennis has been the USTA and in particular the Mid-Atlantic Section. The Section is highly organized and makes it easy for every player of every ability and socioeconomic status to enjoy tennis, whether it is to socialize or to compete.

Make a tax-deductible donation before the end of the year to support USTA Mid-Atlantic and our effort to make tennis the most accessible sport in the region so that EVERYONE can play.

Why do you feel we make a difference? How so?

Amir F.: USTA Mid-Atlantic tennis is tennis for everyone. The Section has made tennis an activity without boundaries, especially through its after school and summer camp program. Whether there is a tennis court available or just a parking lot or a school gym, USTA Mid-Atlantic makes it accessible for everyone to play the game. They provide the equipment: racquets, nets, and the balls – all of it. They make it so fun and easy to get involved. There are few sports or activities that are not restricted by age, language, gender, race – tennis brings people from all walks of life together. That is why it is growing; and with the support of USTA Mid-Atlantic there are no limits.

Make a tax-deductible donation today and support the power of tennis to bring people together and change lives in our region.

What do you think about our after school and summer camp program? What do you think is different about this youth program?

Amir F.: I absolutely love the program. I had the chance to visit the USTA Mid-Atlantic tennis summer camp program this past summer. I was expecting a small group of children playing. Instead I saw a large group of children actively participating and learning with the program coaches. I could not believe how well organized the program was. It is never easy to get 30 kids of all levels excited and participating. Without exception everyone was having fun and everyone was engaged. The coaches did an amazing job teaching without making it look like they were teaching.

One wonderful aspect was that while I noticed some different levels of talent or experience, the instructors made every kid feel great about themselves. The enthusiasm from the coaches and program director was contagious. I love tennis and seeing Alex, associate director of recreation programs for USTA Mid-Atlantic, get so excited when describing the programs made me a bigger fan than ever. KUDOS to Alex and the USTA Mid-Atlantic Section for getting so many kids excited about tennis from all over!

Since 2016, USTA Mid-Atlantic has been introducing youth to tennis through summer camp and after school tennis programs and is committed to subsidizing the program so that the cost is lower and more children can participate. Generous donations help us bring more tennis programs to children all across the region.

What would you tell someone who is thinking about donating to USTA Mid-Atlantic?

Amir F.: If you love tennis whether actively participating in it or you have a child playing tennis or just love to watch tennis, think about why you love it so much. You probably fell in love with it watching the amazing athletes who make it look so effortless or taking a friend to a tennis court and hitting some balls or playing in a tournament or for one of so many many other reasons.

Tennis opens up so many opportunities for so many to become part of a sport that lasts a lifetime. It provides opportunities to meet people from all walks of life who share the same passion for the sport regardless of age, gender or background. Giving to the USTA Mid-Atlantic Section opens doors to more people, like yourself, to be a part of the world of tennis and the amazing benefits everyone gets from the sport.

A donation of any size really does make a difference. Just visit a USTA Mid-Atlantic youth summer camp or watch a USTA League match and you will see why USTA Mid-Atlantic Section makes such a difference in so many lives in a fun and healthy way.

Tell us more about you. How long have you been playing tennis? What do you love most about the sport? Where are you from and what do you enjoy when you aren’t playing tennis?

Amir F.: I started playing tennis in lower school, but by 9th grade I fell in love with the sport.

I think I got most excited about tennis when we lived in North Carolina and hosted a junior team from Israel. At the time, Israel was just developing their tennis program. The kids participating were all 12 and under. I was hoping to play with some of the 12 year olds and show them a thing or two that I, as a Junior in High School, knew about tennis. Well, I got schooled. These kids were amazing and were the best of the best. I just loved the fact how all the kids interacted and became friends so easily with each other and yet still competed fiercely.

I play tennis every chance I can get. It not only satisfies my need to exercise but there is no better way to let some steam out than hitting a tennis ball. Playing singles gives me the opportunity to decompress. The amazing thing about tennis is I can compartmentalize any work problems or other issues that come up during the day. When I am on the court, it is my time to just enjoy. Playing doubles gives me the opportunity to socialize and have fun!

When not playing tennis… when is that? I love being with my wife, kids and dogs. My wife loves tennis too, so when we travel we usually bring our racquets.

It is through the love of tennis we can change lives together. You can help us continue to make tennis accessible to all in the Mid-Atlantic Section, and help us deliver more after school and summer camp tennis programs to ALL children in our region. With the year coming to an end, now is the time to make an annual gift. You can give a tax-deductible donation today!

After School Program Sparks Love for Tennis

USTA Mid-Atlantic Section partnered with Belvedere Elementary School in Fairfax County, Va., to introduce tennis as a brand new after school program during the 2018-2019 school year. The program was met with incredible enthusiasm and both the fall and spring sessions were completely full. Many children picked up a tennis racquet and began learning the sport for the first time.

While tennis brought the student population together and helped create camaraderie through learning a new sport together, one student in particular had an experience that’s proving to be even more meaningful than expected.

Maryn P., joined the USTA Mid-Atlantic Section’s after school tennis program at Belvedere Elementary last school year and according to her mom Jaana, it has opened up a whole new love of sport – especially tennis – for the young girl.

“I am so glad that tennis is offered as an after school activity at Belvedere Elementary here in Fairfax, Va! My husband and I very much enjoy playing tennis and really wanted our daughter Maryn to learn the sport too but didn’t know how to get her started,” explained Jaana.

“We were very thankful for tennis to be offered after school so she can learn the basics and that she could do it with other kids from school. We thought it would be a great start, and more fun than just us [teaching her],” she added.

As a non-profit organization, USTA Mid-Atlantic aims to make tennis the most accessible sport in the region and one way we do that is by providing high-quality after school tennis programs with the support of donations. We want all people, especially children to experience the benefits of tennis, a lifelong sport, so they can develop skills and healthy habits that will pay dividends for years to come.

For Jaana, the USTA Mid-Atlantic after school tennis program has sparked an excitement in Maryn for the sport that has been enjoyable to see blossom, and doors to new opportunities are opening.

“I think the after school tennis program has really sparked an interest with Maryn. She was interested in watching Wimbledon this year, and we even went to the kids day at the Citi Open tournament, which we wouldn’t have known about if it wasn’t for the USTA Mid-Atlantic after school tennis program. Maryn really enjoyed participating in a tennis summer camp program as well. She is looking forward to playing tennis again as school starts. I’m so glad to have had the program offered so she can at least start learning the basics, and who knows where it will go from there,” Jaana said.

As for Maryn, learning a new sport has been pure fun. Maryn-belvedere-1

“I love learning and getting to the next level. I was very excited to get to the red level to get a new racquet! I told my friend on the bus and now she is going to play this fall too because she also wants a racquet. I really enjoy hitting the ball back and forth- it’s fun,” she says.

USTA Mid-Atlantic is looking forward to kicking off the 2019-2020 school year of after school tennis at Belvedere Elementary and many other schools across the Mid-Atlantic region. We aim to introduce more children to tennis and spark their love of a new sport they may not have ever known. But we need to help to ensure we can succeed.

Your tax-deductible gift of $100.74 covers the cost to provide equipment, a high-quality curriculum, and instruction for one child in the program. USTA Mid-Atlantic provides all of this so participants just need to come ready to play and have fun.

As the school year is just getting underway, your gift can make an immediate difference. Importantly, you can double your gift when you give thanks to an anonymous donor matching all donations up to $10,000 in 2019.

You can help change lives through the power of the USTA Mid-Atlantic after school tennis program. Give today.

After School Tennis in Title 1 Schools

Belvedere Elementary School* in Fairfax, Va., is a Title 1 school with 660 students in grades K-5 and more than 60 percent of the student body on the free and reduced meal program. Belvedere supports a diverse population representing 29 countries of origin and speaking 31 different languages in the home.

USTA Mid-Atlantic Section was excited to partner with the school and their parent volunteers to bring our after school tennis program to students. As we delivered the new program, our coaches were able to see firsthand the power of tennis in this school.

In its first year, the after school tennis program was so successful with both the fall and spring sessions completely full! The students loved it! Not only that, tennis after school brought the diverse student population together and helped create camaraderie among the students while engaging in a new sport.

We are able to offer the after school tennis program at reduced rates for students and their families because USTA Mid-Atlantic is committed to subsidizing the program so that more children can participate. But we need help to ensure that we can keep doing this.

Your tax-deductible gift of $100.74 covers the cost to provide equipment, a high-quality curriculum, and instruction for one child in the program. USTA Mid-Atlantic provides all of this so participants just need to come ready to play and have fun.

The PTA parent coordinators at Belvedere shared the following feedback about the program:

“We were so thrilled to add USTA Mid-Atlantic tennis to our after school classes this past school year because we really liked the curriculum. We felt like all the children – no matter their background – would be equals through tennis. And that’s just what we saw; playing tennis became the common ground and brought students closer together. They learned sportsmanship and life skills through the USTA Mid-Atlantic after school tennis program, all while being active and having fun.”

Belvedere is one of 45 Title 1 elementary schools in Fairfax County. Of those 45 Title 1 schools in Fairfax County, there are only three schools with the USTA Mid-Atlantic after school tennis program. We want to change these numbers for the 2019-2020 school year and need your support to do so.

Increased funding will allow us to provide more after school tennis programs so that other schools like Belvedere can offer their students the opportunity to benefit from the positive impact of tennis both in Fairfax County and across the Mid-Atlantic region.

We cannot do it alone and now, as the school year is just getting underway, your gift can make an immediate difference. Importantly, you can double your gift when you give thanks to an anonymous donor matching all donations up to $10,000 in 2019.

Tennis brings the power of opportunity; The ability to learn a lifelong sport; The benefit of physical and mental learning; The chance to have FUN. Thank you for your support.

* Fairfax County Public Schools does not specifically endorse nor condemn the solicitation of this blog.