Growing Numbers of Israeli Children Seeking Help from Israel Tennis Centers

New York, NY (PRWEB) August 06, 2013

As unrest continues throughout the Middle East and the Hebrew calendar nears the end of another year, the Israel Tennis Centers reports a dramatic increase in the number of children at risk seeking help and services from the ITC’s various social impact programs. In response, the Israel Tennis Centers Foundation announced an ambitious new round of events to galvanize support and insure that every child who needs help can find it at any of the ITC’s 14 centers throughout Israel.

“We are proud of the work that we are doing to serve and protect the youth of Israel,” said Benjamin Beiler, CEO of MPC Containment Systems in Chicago and President of the Israel Tennis Centers Foundation. “But we cannot for one moment be complacent with our accomplishments. We see our numbers steadily rising and we know that the needs of our children at risk are more acute than ever.”

The ITC uses tennis as a tool to improve the lives of disadvantaged Israeli children of all backgrounds, addressing their physical, psychological and social needs. The programs serve children with special needs, from autism and ADHD to Down Syndrome and developmental disabilities. Another key area is ITC’s coexistence program, bringing together children from different religions, promoting understanding and encouraging friendships on and off the tennis court.

To support these important initiatives, the ITC has scheduled a record number of events in the month of August:

                - Chautauqua, NY - August 8th
                - Minneapolis, MN - August 18th
                - Purchase, NY - August 19th
                - Remsenburg, NY - August 22nd
                - Easthampton, NY - August 23rd and 25th

Special exhibitions will be held featuring various members of the ITC community who will be flown in from Israel to take part at each event. They include Elad Gevandschnaider, an ITC alumnus with Down Syndrome who was recently awarded the Israel Defense Forces’ Award of Excellence, and Barra Ka’abiyye, a 16-year-old from ITC – Yokneam who has directly benefited from the ITC coexistence program and dreams of one day becoming the first Bedouin tennis player.

To further spread its mission to improve the lives of children in Israel through tennis, the Israel Tennis Centers Foundation will sponsor a special showing of the Maccabiah Games tennis matches that were held at the ITC’s centers in Ramat Hasharon and Jerusalem. In cooperation with the cable network JLTV, the prime time broadcast will air on Sunday evening, August 25th.

“As we look to a New Year of challenges and, G-d willing, peace, we remain focused on making August a huge success,” ITC’s VP of Development Jacqueline Glodstein mentioned. “The events we have scheduled next month, including the sponsoring of the Maccabiah tennis broadcast on the 25th, underscores the commitment we’ve made to growing the number of children in Israel who look to the Israel Tennis Centers to teach them lifelong skills, values…and for hope.”

For more information or to attend one of the events listed above, visit the ITC website at http://www.israeltenniscenters.org or contact Richard Weber, Global Director of Marketing, at rweber(at)israeltenniscenters(dot)org or 212-584-5723.

About the Israel Tennis Centers Foundation:

The Israel Tennis Centers Foundation (ITC) is a 501 (c) 3 not-for-profit organization that has worked since 1976 to enhance the social, psychological and physical development of Israeli youth. Through the medium of sport, the ITC helps over 20,000 children annually, many of whom come from disadvantaged neighborhoods or outlying development towns throughout Israel. The ITC’s 14 centers stretch from Kiryat Shmona on the Lebanese border in the North to Beer Sheva bordering the Negev Desert in the South. http://www.israeltenniscenters.org.

Contacts:

Richard Weber                
Global Director of Marketing            
212-584-5723                
rweber(at)israeltenniscenters(dot)org            

Jacqueline S. Glodstein
Vice President, Global Development
646-884-7450
jglodstein(at)israeltenniscenters(dot)org

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