NEWARK TENNIS ALLIANCE
When Arthur Ashe passed away in 1993, his Safe Passage Foundation was serving over 1,800 youth in the Newark, NJ area, providing them with tennis instruction and educational opportunities, while turning out some top junior players. While several other organizations continued to thrive in other cities, the original program in Newark, without Arthur, did not.
Junior Tennis Foundations is pleased to announce the formation of the Newark Tennis Alliance - a coalition of non-profit youth development organizations serving communities in and around Newark – in order to revive Ashe’s dream for Newark youth.
JTF is providing grants of $10,000 each to six organizations to collaborate around common goals to ensure:
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Every public park tennis court in the Newark area offers summer introductory tennis
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A sufficient network of year-round intermediate & advanced tennis programs to accommodate need
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High-quality educational programs are available to all participants
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High performance coaching for talented youth, with a shared dream of an indoor space for all programs
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JTF is leading the way to ensure that the benefits of tennis and education reach as many of Newark’s youth as possible by funding and bringing these organizations together in common purpose.
NEWARK TENNIS ALLIANCE PROGRAMS
Althea Gibson Sports & Education Foundation
The Althea Gibson Sports and Education Foundation, founded in part by the legendary tennis and golf champion, supports urban youth by promoting development through sports, particularly tennis and golf. It honors Gibson’s legacy of breaking barriers by providing opportunities for skill development and education, often associated with community-based youth programs.
Their mission is to empower young people through sports, fostering both athletic skills and educational opportunities.
Established in 1938, the Boys & Girls Club of Newark (BGCN) is a youth development agency providing services to thousands of Newark’s youth through a combination of youth outreach activities, summer camp programs, and after-school activities.
For children living in urban areas, having a safe place to go after school can change everything. There is growing evidence that children and youth who attend afterschool programs do better in school, are safer, and are less likely to get into trouble in the hours after the end of a school day.
Boys & Girls Club of Newark
East Orange Parks and Recreation provides tennis facilities and programming, including lighted courts at Elmwood Park and Memorial Park. The city offers summer tennis clinics, youth tournaments, and specialized coaching for all levels, honoring the area's legacy of excellence, particularly through associations with the Althea Gibson Tennis Center.
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Their mission is to promote an array of diverse, affordable recreational programs and cultural events that promote the physical, mental, social, and emotional health needs of our community.
East Orange Parks & Recreation
Essex Grassroots Tennis & Education
Essex Grassroots Tennis & Education provides quality tennis instruction, life skills, fitness, nutrition, health, and educational curriculum to over 200 children annually and growing.
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Most participants pay little or no cost through our indoor, outdoor and after-school community programs. EGR uses tennis as the primary motivator to challenge student’s athletics and empower them not only to succeed but to also be productive, responsive and engaged citizens. Click the button below to donate to EGR.
Greater Newark Tennis & Education (GNTE) is dedicated to providing tennis instruction in an innovative format– they get kids playing and engaged from their first moment on the court. Through their partnership with Seton Hall University, they offer a corresponding educational component, designed to foster whole child development.
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The base program is free of charge, to children in the Greater Newark area. GNTE operates at the Althea Gibson Tennis Center in Newark’s Branch Brook Park.
Greater Newark Tennis & Education
Weequahic Park Sports Authority believes every child deserves a safe place to play, feel included, and experience the joy of childhood—regardless of income or circumstance. They are a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating Safe Parks, Safe Neighborhoods, Safe Streets, and Safe Places where children can simply be children.
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Their work extends beyond recreation. Many of the children they serve face food insecurity, trauma, and unsafe environments that make participation difficult. WPSA helps connect families to meals and basic resources and also provide trauma-informed assistance through trusted community partners.