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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Alejandra Ng, Assistant Director of New York Junior Tennis and Learning on Funding Increase Request
7:14:27
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Alejandra Ng, Assistant Director of New York Junior Tennis and Learning (NYJTL), testified to request an increase in funding under the council's physical education and fitness initiative. She highlighted the organization's impact on providing tennis programs to underserved youth and the need for additional resources to maintain quality services.
- NYJTL enrolls over 10,000 kids annually, with 75% identifying as black, African American, Latino, and/or Asian, and 80% from low-income families.
- The organization is seeking a $1 million allocation, an increase of $200,000 from the previous year, to address rising costs and expand services.
- If granted, the funds would be used to provide additional hours, increase enrollment, improve accessibility, and maintain program quality.
Alejandra Ng
7:14:27
Hi.
7:14:28
My name is Alejandra Ng, and I am the assistant director of New York Junior Tennis and Learning's NYKTL's community tennis programs.
7:14:36
I wanna thank chair Stevens and the members of the youth children and youth committee for allowing me to present today.
7:14:42
We are seeking an increase under the council's physical education and fitness initiative, which would be our first increase over seventeen years.
7:14:51
In the past seventeen years, things have gone up.
7:14:54
Costs such as labor, permits, equipment, minimum wage have all risen, and we are currently struggling to continue providing the level of tennis program that we are known for.
7:15:08
We to keep up with these costs, to continue to pay our staffs a livable wage, and prevent cuts to any programming, we are asking for an increase in funding.
7:15:16
It is our belief that talent is universal, but access and opportunity are not, and that is why we have strived over the last fifty years to continue to provide the sport of tennis to all children, including those with special needs.
7:15:28
With the council as our partner, we have become the largest tennis and education organization in the country.
7:15:35
Through our community tennis program, we enroll over 10,000 kids every year.
7:15:40
Over 70% of our participants are under the age of 10, or 75% of our youth identify as black, African American, Latino, and or Asian.
7:15:50
Eighty percent of our families report as low income based on the New York City AMI.
7:15:58
I was a product of this organization.
7:16:00
I started when I was 10 with my with my younger siblings, and it was a free program that my parents could afford.
7:16:07
More than 75% of our coaches are alumni of the program.
7:16:10
We hire we have about a hundred coaches working year round.
7:16:16
50% of these coaches are also in high school or college, so we also are their first time for employment.
7:16:22
Again, we are asking for a million dollars on the council's physical education and fitness initiative, which is an increase of 200,000 from last year.
7:16:30
If allocated, we would be able to provide additional houring hours, increase enrollment, increase accessibility to these kids, and continue providing the product that we have.
7:16:41
Again, we thank the New York City Council for all their support over the past couple of years.