I am a retired IBMer who volunteers with kids who want to learn the game of tennis. I met a young man by the name of N.S. who has no parents but has been raised by his uncle who is single. His uncle has a low paying job stocking shelves for the Stop & Shop super market. N.S. just completed high school and I have been working with him to get him into college. He applied to a college in Florida and was accepted after explaining his unfortunate child hood life to the admission’s director. N.S. is a great tennis player. He has one of the best records playing for his high school here in Connecticut. He plays with the Prince Diablo Tennis racket. He needs additional rackets to take to college. Do you have any Prince Diablos to donate to N.S.? I will be happy to give you his contact information. He will be leaving for college on the 26th of August. His uncle has scraped up enough money to rent a car to drive him to Florida. I have personally donated food, clothing, tennis balls, racket stringing and money to him. This young man just needs a helping hand. Life has not been easy for him. I know he would appreciate any help from anyone.

Hi I am an eighth grader getting ready to have a Bar Mitzvah in November. I would like to select your charity as my “mitzvah” or good deed project. I play tennis for my middle school team and went to tennis camp this summer. I am interested in collecting racquets for you at my tennis club. Do you have any materials that you can send me to distribute or tell people about what you do?

This is what I am talking about. People that give back. Tennis Racquets for Kids is a role model for children. They get it. They are here on their own time, working with strangers and showing them kindness. Their racquets will go to children in the neighborhood and my schools. Otherwise these kids would never have the opportunity to walk on a tennis court.

I recently came across your website while looking for a way to donate my old rackets. I've got about 6 rackets, a mixture of junior and regular rackets. In thinking about it, I also realize that there are lots of other people (kids and adults) at my club who have old rackets and thought it might be a good idea to start a used racket drive at my club. I'm sure that I could donate more rackets at one time than just the few that I have.

Can I send you maybe 20 or more rackets at a time? Do you have limits on the condition of the rackets you accept? Do you accept other equipment like bags, etc.? If I organize a drive at my club, can I use your organizations information on the fliers? Can you tell me more about how the rackets are used and how many you donate to other organizations? Do you have any suggestions for organizing a drive?

Sorry it took so long! Here are the photos! Thanks again! If you need more photos, we'll gladly ham it up for the camera.

I don't know if you remember, but a few months ago I asked to do some work for you guys, and you sent me fliers. Well, it turns out that my school was getting rid of their old PE racquets, and they let me take them, so now I have about 50 or so racquets that I can give to you guys. How would you like me to get you these racquets?

I live in New York City, and I am in the seventh grade. I like baseball, tennis, basketball, and reading. I'm contacting you about your organization, Tennis Racquets for Kids. I would like to be a part of Tennis Racquets for Kids because I think it's a great way to give opportunities to under-privileged kids. I heard about your organization at the West Hampton Beach Tennis Club, while I was waiting for a tournament to start. I noticed your box with tennis racquets, and wanted to know more about your organization. So, I asked the man working there, and he told me about what you do. I think it would be great if I could help your organization because I know at least five places where I can put boxes, and collect racquets every month. The locations are: East Hampton Indoor Tennis, Ross Tennis, Tennis East in East Hampton, Sportime in NYC, Tennis East in West Hampton. Overall, I think it is a great organization, which I would love to be a part of. Please email me any further information you might have so that I can be involved starting this summer.

Thank you so much for the donation of racquets. I was so excited when I returned from spring break to find the package waiting for us here at school. I a sure when I take the racquets to practice today, my players will be equally excited! You are wonderful people to spearhead this organization for others.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

Hi, I am a tennis coach at Thomas Jefferson High School in Rochester, NY. Our co-ed modified and varsity tennis teams have doubled in size from last year and we are in a great need for racquets. If it would be possible to have racquets donated to us (10 - 12) it would be greatly appreciated.

I am a tenth grade student at Horace Mann School in Riverdale, NY. I would like to donate my old racquets to Tennis Racquets for Kids. As part of a community service project for school, I would also like to collect racquets from friends and neighbors and would like to donate the racquets. I would like to put up signs in my building and school to help collect racquets for the organization, and I was making sure that it is okay if I use the organization's name. You may know who I am because I played Zachary in a Level 1 tournament in Alley Pond at the beginning of January, and this is where I heard about the organization. Hopefully it will be okay if I use the organizations name, and I look forward to hearing from you.

I am a 9th grade English teacher in Brooklyn, NY. For two years I taught tennis as an after school activity with Middle School 126 in Brooklyn. This year I transferred to a charter school and I would like to start a tennis team here. Do you donate rackets to New York City charter schools?

With 2009 now drawing to a close I just wanted to thank you, Paige and Zachary again for your generous donation of racquets to kids at our Flushing Meadows Park program on August 17. These are challenging times for non-profit organizations like ours, so this year more than ever, we are very greatful for you choosing to support what we do. On behalf of the many children we serve with free tennis lessons throughout the five boroughs, my sincere thanks again. Hope we can do this again in 2010!

A special thanks goes to our first time volunteers, your generosity is what makes the USTA Eastern such a great organization. Also thanks to Tennis Racquets for Kids and the Mintz family for providing many free rackets and for their grace under fire – we had estimated 40 kids at the Centennial Park, where they were volunteering, and over 150 showed up. Great job by them…

I have told so many people about you.  I am so impressed with you….I have my 3rd-5th graders today.  I hope to stay in touch.  You are the best!

With 2009 now drawing to a close I just wanted to thank you, Paige and Zachary again for your generous donation of racquets to kids at our Flushing Meadows Park program on August 17. These are challenging times for non-profit organizations like ours, so this year more than ever, we are very greatful for you choosing to support what we do. On behalf of the many children we serve with free tennis lessons throughout the five boroughs, my sincere thanks again. Hope we can do this again in 2010!

It makes me feel great that the racquets will make a difference in some young person’s life.  I’ve been involved with tennis for a while teaching and playing in Florida, Boca Raton, etc….and believe the sport offers much well being.  I’ve taught in Roslyn, Briar Cliff Manor, and appreciate watching the development of a young tournament or recreational player, in addition the evolvement of middle aged people who take up the game and develop social contacts via their tennis playing.  Tennis is indeed a sport of a lifetime.  Good luck on your efforts with “Tennis Racquets for Kids.” 

We received the tennis racquets…thank you so much!  We are looking forward to some beautiful weather to use the racquets. 

Thank you so kindly for getting back to me right away.  I am so excited to tell the kids about this great news…I am so overwhelmed with emotion right now and I can only imagine how others felt when they received such blessings.  I can’t thank you both enough for your goodness and for making my kids wishes come true.  This may not seem a lot to other people but it’s a world of difference to my children and its people like your selves with a big HEART that makes a difference.  Thank you from all of us.  God bless and have a terrific weekend!!

I came across the web link for Tennis Racquets for Kids, Inc. while looking to buy used tennis racquets for my children.  We are not part of any organization just a family in need of racquets particularly for my children.  My children want to play tennis and have seen kids in our area play at local park tennis courts and thought it would be an exciting game to play.  I really can’t afford to buy them new ones and randomly came across this site when I googled used tennis racquets.  N.N. is 3 ½ years old and A.N.  is 10 years old, I would like to inspire them to do different things that will cultivate their mind and introduce them to the game of tennis.  I played tennis as a teenager and enjoyed it very much. 

Dear Paige and Zachary Mintz, Thank you so much for creating the organization Tennis Racquets for Kids.  As a tennis player, it means a lot to me to give other kids the chance to play tennis.  At first, not many people were donating racquets into the box, so I made a huge poster.  Luckily, it grabbed people’s attention and racquets were dropped off…The racquets I collected are in this box and I hope they will benefit many kids!  I enjoyed being able to do a Bat Mitzvah project for tennis. 

I was alerted to this program and immediately called my club, Eastern Athletic in Blue Point, NY.  They are interested in being a drop off site….I know I and several of my USTA teammates have extra racquets laying around gathering dust. 

We received them…Thank you again!  Pictures will be emailed to you soon also!!

Hello.  I am a second year tennis coach at Thomas Jefferson High School in Rochester, NY.  It would greatly benefit us if you could donate 8 tennis racquets to our team.  Thanks in advance. 

Hi.  I’m the mother of a seventh grade tennis player that is celebrating her Bat Mitzvah this year.  As one of her projects she would like to collect racquets at our temple and contribute them to your organization. 

I just got the racquets.  They are wonderful.  I started my program with the kindergarteners yesterday.   Your racquets were the only ones I had.  Thank goodness for you!  It was quite comical (for others) to see me with 20 something little ones on a tennis court.  Thanks more than a million! 

Hi.  I read the article about your group in the Manhasset Press.  What a great idea.  We may have 2 children’s rackets that we can donate.  How do we donate them?   

I have at least one child’s racquet for donation maybe two.  How do I get them to you? BTW great idea.  I saw it in the Manhasset Press.

Hi, I just read your article in the Manhasset Press.  What a wonderful idea and service to the community.  Congratulations.  I have 6 racquets that belonged to my son, also a dedicated tennis player that he no longer uses. Please contact me ASAP as how these rackets can be added to your inventory.