To enhance the lives of at-risk and low income youth in King County (Washington) through affordable tennis, education and fitness.
Who We Are:
Tennis Outreach Programs (TOPs) is a 501 C (3) nonprofit organization that was founded in 2003. Our affordable tennis programs are designed to reach underserved and at-risk youth in our community and provide a safe place to learn. We not only teach the great lifetime sport of tennis, but also the valuable lifelong skills that tennis provides that go well beyond the court.
Special News:
May 2nd - "Give BIG" to Tennis Outreach Programs
Click on the video below for more information. To donate through the secure Seattle Foundation portal, click on the "DONATE NOW" button on the left hand menu of this page or click here.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR GENEROSITY AND FOR HELPING MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF YOUTH!!!
How We Currently Serve Youth and Our Community:
TOPs offers affordable tennis programs and a positive atmosphere for kids in several King County community centers and school gyms. A majority of our participants are on free or reduced funds, therefore we scholarship a high percentage of participants.
No child is turned away, including families that can not afford to pay any portion of program fee. TOPs offers programs to ALL, regardless of socio-economic status, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, physical ability, geographic location and language.
Because of the generousity of our donors, we have also scholarshiped students to participate in USTA Junior Team Tennis Leagues and provided free tennis racquets to students. We also sponsor events where we serve free dinners to some of our economically challenged families from our programs.
How We Plan to Reach More Youth and Better Serve Their Needs:
February 1st, 2012 the OUTREACH & PERFORMANCE TENNIS CENTER (www.topskirkland.org) was opened. OPTC was founded TOPs and includes 6 full sized public indoor tennis courts and 6 additional 36 foot (especially designed for 8 & Under sized) tennis courts. OPTC is a year round home for our programs and most importantly a much larger number of low income and at risk youth we can serve on a daily based through the entire year because of this facility.
OPTC currently serves over 200 youth a week and numbers continue to increase every week. OPTC phone # 425-658-4046.
We plan to grow our youth scholarhip fund through private partnerships, special available program grants and proceeds from some of the facility's higher revenue generating adult programs.
The faclity include dedicated study tutoring areas. The after-school programs run during the highest statisical crime times for youth (weekday afternoons 2pm-6pm).
Model tennis programs from around the country have a very positive impact on graduation, test scores and helping more students get into college. A long term goal is to develop a college scholarship fund to help our students needing financial assistance.
The facility also provides excellent jobs and volunteering opportunities for youth. It is also very common for students who go through programs like this to return and volunteer their time and give back.
