Give back to Ralph, Jackie Robinson's King of the Court

We all love playing tennis at the Jackie Robinson courts. And there's one man who makes it all possible: Ralph. On the daily, Ralph wakes up early to unlock the gate, organize the running order of the day, and lock up at night. He wakes up the next day and does it again. As a lifelong resident of the neighborhood, he does all this for the love of it—Ralph receives no compensation for his work.

Ralph's only income source is a meager social security check. It is often not enough to fully cover living expenses for him and his daughter, Bug. What many of us don't know is that Ralph also suffers from chronic illnesses: kidney disease and multiple sclerosis.

Over the past few months, Ralph has been fighting tirelessly to help keep our courts a safe place for the community; a place where kids can continue to receive free coaching. It was Ralph's persistence in the face of many setbacks earned HQ Tennis its right to continue community programming.

Tennis is about back and forths; giving and receiving. So too is community. We want to give back to Ralph and ensure he not only feels appreciated, but so that he and Bug have the resources to live comfortably and with dignity.