New York Junior Tennis & Learning (NYJTL) is proud to announce a donation of $1 million from the Pershing Square Foundation. This gift will support the NYJTL Scholar Athlete Program, which will offer high quality tennis and educational support to provide a pathway for under-resourced NYC children to attend and graduate from college. After 50 years of successfully providing tennis and academic support for NYC youth, the Scholar Athlete Program will serve as its flagship program and beacon for the entire organization.
NYJTL is excited to continue its relationship with longtime donor and supporter Bill Ackman, who has previously contributed $1 million towards the capital campaign for what is now the Pershing Square Foundation Stadium at the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning.
“Over the past 50 years, NYJTL has enabled countless children to develop their foundational tennis skills and provided critically important academic support,” says Pershing Square Foundation co-trustee Bill Ackman. “We are delighted to continue our partnership with NYJTL as it expands its programs to empower under-resourced children in New York to attend and graduate from college.”
“We are so grateful for the support of Bill Ackman and the Pershing Square Foundation,” says NYJTL President & CEO Udai Tambar. “This foundational contribution is pivotal in providing pathways to college for under-resourced youth and gives them the resources needed to excel in their personal and academic ambitions.”
Historically, NYJTL has provided a broad range of programming to under-resourced youth in all five NYC boroughs to get them enrolled in meaningful after-school, weekend and summer activities.
The Scholar Athlete Program will serve as the flagship NYJTL program that highlights the substantial benefits of providing in-depth services to underserved youth. It will launch during the NYJTL 50th Anniversary Gala at the Ziegfeld Ballroom on May 4, 2022. The gala will be the culmination of 50 years of service, celebrating the legacy and future of the institution.
About NYJTL:
The mission of New York Junior Tennis & Learning is to develop the character of young people through tennis and education for a lifetime of success on and off the court. Since 1971, NYJTL has changed lives through tennis, education, healthy living, and character development programs. Today, it is the largest youth tennis and education non-profit in the nation, reaching more than 85,000 K-12 New York City youth.
NYJTL provides after school programming in approximately 30 schools and community tennis programming at approximately 40 sites throughout New York City in the summer months and at additional sites that operate during the school year. In addition, NYJTL designed, funded (with NYC), built and operates the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning, at which it provides free and commercial tennis programming year-round as well as life skills, character development and healthy living lessons. All NYJTL community tennis and after school programs are offered at no cost to its participants.
NYJTL is looking forward to celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2022!
Contact: Joe Ceriello
Chief Marketing & Development Officer
jceriello@nyjtl.org
(917) 693-6672