CHARLESTON, SC – Madison Keys, a Founding Champion for the nonprofit organization Kindness Wins, announced Saturday that she awarded a “Medal of Kindness” to April Gift, the Community Program Development Manager at USTA South Carolina and steadfast advocate for junior tennis locally. 

“I was so touched when I learned how much April does for the tennis community of Charleston, specifically all the time and effort she puts into outreach for juniors,” Keys said.

“She works tirelessly to get more young people playing the sport, which is not only great for tennis but also great for the kids to get out and have fun doing something new. The Medal of Kindness is all about honoring those who do so much out of the goodness of their hearts, and that’s exactly what April does.” 

Gift is known to give tirelessly to the tennis community with her goal in mind being that everyone has fun. She teaches local youth the skills of tennis and builds their confidence and love for the game.

Gift also coordinates scholarships to youth in the Junior Team Tennis programs, is constantly building programs and bringing people together for tennis. Her Credit One Charleston Open family calls her the “Pied Piper” of tennis.  

This is the fourth Medal of Kindness Keys has awarded this year. Two weeks ago, she honored Miami Open Tournament Director James Blake for his dedication to cancer research and being a voice of equality within tennis and beyond. 

Kindness Wins, which launched in early 2020, encourages and spreads kindness to others across the globe, and the Medal of Kindness goes to those individuals whose personal efforts have contributed to that concept. Saturday’s medal is one in a series of acts big and small that are being recognized by Champions Madison Keys, Mikaela Shiffrin and Oksana Masters on an ongoing basis, for individuals’ and organizations’ impacts on the world, big or small.  

Kindness Wins is a platform for kindness, on and off the field of play. By identifying and supporting professional athletes as our champions and elevating organizations and individuals who show and encourage kindness through sport, we are demonstrating that even in the most competitive environment, acts of kindness are possible and their outcomes are impactful. For more, visit https://www.kindnesswins.org/