The New Balance Foundation has pledged $2 million to Dorchester’s Sportsmen’s Tennis & Enrichment Center (STEC), the nation’s first nonprofit indoor tennis club built by and for the African American community.
The announcement came during the 2025 Sportsmen’s Tennis Ball at the Omni Boston Hotel, where more than 750 supporters honored the foundation with the Sportsmen’s Community Builder Award.
Founded in 1961, Sportsmen’s uses tennis as a platform for education, health, and personal growth. Each year, the center engages more than 5,000 young people and adults through competitive and recreational tennis, after-school enrichment, leadership development, and community wellness programs.
The New Balance Foundation also provides support for The Learning Center at Sportsmen’s, an academic support program for elementary school students.
The $2 million commitment will help advance Sportsmen’s expansion toward a more accessible, inclusive, and connected campus for the community.
“Sportsmen’s is more than just tennis,” said Toni Wiley, CEO of STEC. “It’s about opening doors, helping kids learn, grow, and believe in themselves both on and off the court. That is exactly what tonight’s Community Builder honoree, the New Balance Foundation, is all about too.
“Their investment will expand opportunities for young people to thrive and continue building a stronger, healthier community.”
–REPORTER STAFF
