The Need
Thousands of children here grow up with organized sport priced out of reach
In the communities around Templeton Tennis Ranch, a season of junior tennis costs more than many families can set aside in a month. Swimming lessons - the kind that keep a child alive in open water - are cheaper, and still out of reach for too many.
TASA is the only National Junior Tennis & Learning chapter on California's Central Coast. The nearest one is in Bakersfield, about ninety miles away. For a child in Paso Robles, Atascadero or Templeton, there is no second option.
- 16,700 children under 18 in North San Luis Obispo County - including Paso Robles, Atascadero and Templeton.
- 2,188 estimated to live below the federal poverty line - a 13.1% child poverty rate.
- 6,945 local students enrolled in free or reduced-price meals in the 2024-25 school year.
The poverty line is not the whole picture, and it understates the problem. Many families above it still cannot absorb a seasonal program fee on top of school costs, childcare and a commute. The free-and-reduced-meal figure is the better proxy for how many children in this county are one unexpected expense away from being told no.
What we do about it
We make sure the cost of taking part is never the reason a child is left out. Applications are open to families in Templeton, Paso Robles and Atascadero, they are short, and a person reads every one.