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USTA<\/p>\nUSTA<\/p>\n
PURCHASE, N.Y.<\/strong> – The USTA Foundation announces a new partnership with \u2018Realize the Dream\u2019, a national initiative led by Martin Luther King III, Arndrea Waters King and Yolanda Renee King that calls on people everywhere to turn small moments into acts of service that strengthen communities and honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.<\/p>\n This movement promotes positive change through community service and volunteerism, with an ambitious goal of achieving 100 million hours of service by Dr. King\u2019s 100th birthday in 2029. Supporting \u2018Realize the Dreams\u2019\u2019s mission to unify and inspire communities nationwide, the USTA Foundation completed more than 500,000 volunteer service hours in 2025, and it is committed to reaching 800,000 hours by the end of 2026. The announcement was made Saturday, February 21, during the USTA Foundation\u2019s Impact Conference held in Dallas.<\/p>\n The USTA Foundation aims to reach this goal through program hours and volunteer service opportunities provided by its flagship National Junior Tennis & Learning (NJTL) network. This network, co-founded in 1969 by Arthur Ashe, Charlie Pasarell, and Sheridan Snyder, today comprises more than 270 community organizations nationwide that help prepare young people from under-resourced communities to succeed in life through tennis, education and mentorship, scholarships, and college and career-readiness programs.<\/p>\n While NJTL co-founder Arthur Ashe and Dr. King never met in person, Dr. King held tremendous respect for Arthur and expressed his sentiments in a thoughtful note he sent to Ashe weeks before King\u2019s assassination on April 4, 1968. That letter, a copy of which is linked here, is on display at the International Tennis Hall of Fame.<\/p>\n Additionally, the USTA Foundation plans to further support the \u201cRealize the Dream\u201d initiative by curating nearly 100 volunteer opportunities across NJTL chapters nationwide to celebrate Juneteenth on June 19. This effort will allow more than 1,000 USTA staff and volunteers to dedicate service hours to the program through the end of the month.<\/p>\n \u201cService was never meant to be symbolic,\u201d said Martin Luther King III. \u201cMy father believed it was a powerful way to build dignity, opportunity, and unity. Through this partnership with the USTA Foundation, we are turning everyday moments into meaningful action and helping young people build stronger futures through service.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReal change happens when young people are given the tools to lead and serve,\u201d said Arndrea Waters King. \u201cThis partnership creates clear pathways for connection, purpose, and impact, allowing the next generation to actively build the legacy they will carry forward.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis partnership is rooted in Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.\u2019s call to serve others and promote positive change. These ideals were also central to the life of tennis icon and NJTL network co-founder Arthur Ashe, who believed that progress is built through service, opportunity, and respect for others,\u201d said USTA Foundation CEO Ginny Ehrlich. \u201cThis work with \u2018Realize the Dream\u2019 and the King family is a natural extension of those values, and we are proud to honor the legacies of both men by creating meaningful opportunities for young people and communities to thrive.\u201d<\/p>\n