Three Midwest organizations were recently named the recipients of the 2022 Robert P. and Barbara D. Harris Grant: Serving Up Hope, Accelerate4KIDS, and Bay City Tennis Association.
The Robert P. and Barbara D. Harris Grant is awarded to organizations seeking to start or expand tennis programming in their community. Funding is provided to develop instructional programs, organize league play for players of all ages, ability and populations, create tournament play or anything that encourages long-term growth of tennis programming in the community.
Serving Up Hope
PO Box 810518
Boca Raton Fl 33481-0518
(561) 664-4139
servinguphope.org
Serving Up Hope's mission is the provide sustainable tennis programs for underserved children and to support communities in maintaining and growing those programs. We currently hold no cost programs in Uganda, Seattle, and Los Angeles. The Serving Up Hope Chicago-Willowbrook corner will be a new free program in the Serving Up Hope's program slate. Our programs in the US are two-fold: first, is a tennis program for disadvantaged children and youth and second, is an educational program to increased self esteem, socialization skills, discipline, teamwork, opportunity to better schools, and open social and professional networks.
Serving Up Hope will work with community partner, the Community House, to provide this program to underserved children ages 8-12 located in Willowbrook Corner, an unincorporated area of the Willowbrook suburb. The neighborhood of Willowbrook Corner came into being as part of public housing relocation programs in the 1970s and 80s. Located in unincorporated DuPage County, the neighborhood is not served by a municipality, and many families residing in the neighborhood live below the federal poverty level. The residents of Willowbrook Corner are not served by a municipality or a park district.
Accelerate4KIDS Foundation
TechTown
440 Burroughs Street
Ste 187
Detroit, MI 48202
www.Accelerate4KIDS.org
Accelerate4KIDS Foundation (also known as Accelerate4KIDS) is a Detroit-based 501c3 nonprofit that provides quality STEM (science, technology, education, math) education and wellness programs for K-12 kids in underserved communities so they too can live a life of opportunity and prosperity. Since 2016, we have served nearly 3000 youth in the Detroit and Pontiac area of Southeast Michigan through our Tennis for Tech program. There are 16 recreational centers in Detroit and we already have schedules to run the Tennis & Tech™ after school program at 4 of the recreation centers and parks including Farwell Recreation Center, Lasky Recreation Center, Butzel Family Center, and Palmer Park. We received a $1500 M-Live Media Award as 3rd place for Most Impactful Nonprofit in Detroit in January 2022.
Bay City Tennis Association
325 Park Ave
Bay City MI 48708
989-274-5782
www.baycitytennis.com
Mission statement: Provide courts for recreational and competitive use. Promote health, fitness, and athletic excellence. Maintain facility and park through community support.
Bay City had over 50 tennis courts at one time; when the number became 4 playable courts and 12 dilapidated courts. Closures caused a sad cycle: no players, no courts and a declining tennis culture. In 2012, a local high school student pushed for his teammates to have courts as nice as competing schools. He began his campaign to raise funds for new courts in Bay City. At the time, a vacant elementary school closed its grounds. Its superintendent had an idea: to rally the school neighbors and tennis people to fundraise for courts on the school site. Bay Community Tennis Association was formed as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, with a vision to build eight public outdoor tennis courts. Through grants, monetary donations, in-kind donations, and sponsorships, the BCTA raised approximately $600,000 and built the Janet Jopke Tennis Courts at Richard Shaw Park. We continue to raise funds to maintain the facility so we can continue to grow tennis in Bay City.