Tennis Racquets for Kids Recieves Citation

Tennis Racquets for Kids Inc., has received a 2014 citation from Nassau County Executive, Edward P. Mangano. Co-Founder Zachary Mintz, Co-Founder Paige Mintz, and Vice President Rachel Mintz each received their own citation which stated: "You have worked diligently on behalf of causes and ideals which uphold the principles of human decency, and through the years, you have demononstrated a selfless commitment to the County of Nassau and its residents that warrants attention and gratitude." Over 100 tennis racquets and 6 cases of new balls were donated to the Nassau County Parks and Recreation Department to support the summer camp program. Vice President, Rachel Mintz, created a new division of the charity to suppport the scholarship campers. These children received new tennis racquets so they could learn the game of tennis. Co-President Paige Mintz, "we are also happy to continue to provide tennis racqets and support the Alliance Junior Tennis Development Program, a non-profit organization in Roosevelt, New York." Ms. Emily Moore is the founder and executive director of the program which gives children ages 4-18 an opportunity to experience tennis. These are children without racquets or lessons who want to participate in a camp and learn tennis and develop community pride. When Ms. Moore and her campers received the racquets, she told us: "Tennis Racquets for Kids, never forgets us and gives these children a chance to learn the game." When asked what was special about the donation program, Rachel answered," the smiles,the hugs and the surprise when the kids were told that they could keep the racquets. It was a heart warming experience and a special day. Co- Founders of Tennis Racquets for Kids, Zachary and Paige Mintz, continue to try to find support for the non-profit organization. Co-President Zachary Mintz is always optimistic and stated,"we have not given up on industry and hope that one day Babolat, Wilson, Head, Yonex, Prince, Penn or Nike, and others will contribute to the charity." Until that day, Tennis Racquets for Kids Inc., has been successful due to individuals who will donate for the Love of the Game.

Exciting Winter Leads to Productive Spring

Tennis Racquets for Kids Inc., had an exceptional winter. Racquets were received from a variety of states including Maine, Texas, New York, New Jersey and Florida. Many were collected as Mitzvah projects or community service, but the majority of racquets were donated by individuals wanting to help. We try to restring the racquets and re-grip them to make them like new. However, given budgetary restraints and the loss of our stringer who donated his time, this became more challenging. We are happy to say that racquet donations were made to the Bosse School district, Indiana, Fast Break Sports inner city tennis program, Los Angeles, Sierra Linda High School, Arizona, Valwood School, Georgia, After School Programs in Detroit Michigan, and individual families. Our goal is to give less fortunate children a chance to experience the game of tennis. We are grateful to all of the individuals who chose to send or drop off their used racquets to make a child's day. We are encouraged by the leadership qualities and dedication to community service of the children that collected racquets via school or church drives, or mitzvah projects. They understand what it means to pay it forward. We ask everyone to donate For the Love of the Game!!

2013 Year in Review: Tennis Racquets for Kids

Tennis is a great activity for families and individuals. It is a great way to bring people of all skill levels together. You need a net,balls and a tennis racquet. Sounds simple, but it's not. Tennis racquets are expensive, and indoor court rates are prohibitive. It would be great if the weather was perfect throughout the year for all of us. Unfortunately, this doesn't happen and we can't always take advantage of the opportunity to use outdoor public courts. Some of us learned to play on park courts with metal nets. There was no topspin or slicing strategy, the ball changed direction based on the cracks in the asphalt. Yet we continued to love the game. Tennis Racquets for Kids Inc., is dedicated to providing all children with the opportunity to experience the game we love. Our success would not be possible without the help of individuals across the country who share this love. We receive racquets from people, especially children, from all parts of the United States. Sometimes it's a single racquet or a few racquets; sometimes a note is included saying how much joy the racquets brought their owners and how meaningful it is to them to continue channeling the racquets into the hands of other children. All tennis racquet donations are greatly appreciated. We are living in challenging economic times and what may be a weathered racquet to someone, is an opportunity for a child to start a tennis experience. We are a non-profit organization that is also challenged by the same economic times, and have lost our stringers who donated their time and materials to rejunvenate the donated racquets. Used Babolat, Wilson, Head, Prince, and Yonex,racquets represent a way to experience the game of tennis. Tennis Racquets for Kids is supported by regular people who play and enjoy the game and want to give others that same opportunity. Our sole focus is helping those less fortunate children experience the game of tennis. Throughout 2013, we have had many children stand up and want to make a difference by collecting tennis racquets as part of their Bar or Bat Mitzvah,church, or school projects to help others. S.R.collected over 50 racquets as a part of his Bar Mitzvah and C.W. collected approximately 275 racquets as part of her Bat Mitzvah project. J.F.,an avid junior tennis player, hosted a drive in New York City and drove a carload of tennis racquets out to our office in Long Island.These are a few examples of the generosity we have experienced. We survive with the help of the individual who will donate a single racquet to us. We received a financial donation from a high school tennis team in St. Louis which went to help defer our costs of re-gripping,re-stringing, and postage. This year we supported various schools that wanted to start tennis programs but the children could not afford to buy racquets. We supported after school programs including those dedicated to fighting childhood by promoting tennis as a weight- loss activity. Other programs supported were located in California, Michigan, Arizona, and New York. Various individual families also received racquets. Our goal remains helping less fortunate children experience the game of tennis. We look forward to the New Year and ask for your continued support to donate for the love of the game!