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NCHPAD - Building Healthy Inclusive Communities

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DhhEAF


By:  Luke Hanson

There is no shortage of evidence that shows children who are physically active and regularly participate in athletics and other physical activity perform better in other areas of their lives and are more likely to develop lifelong healthy habits. While all children should be able to benefit from athletic programs and the benefits they may offer, some children with disabilities suffer from a lack of access to many such programs. One specific group of children who suffer from a lack of access are those in the Deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) community. That is why, in January of 2003, Roy Trafalski and Tom Baxted started the Deaf and hard of hearing Educational Athletic Foundation (DhhEAF).

The DhhEAF program is the only one of its kind.  It was created specifically to benefit children in the DHH community through the sport of tennis.  DhhEAF operates in southern California and serves, on average, 200 students from 18 schools with DHH programs per year. The large majority of participants is from the low end of the socioeconomic spectrum, and would likely otherwise never get to experience the game of tennis, much less professional lessons. The program is offered to the children for free, and equipment is provided free of charge, too.

Since its creation in 2003, DhhEAF has directly worked with over 2000 unique children. Its main purpose is to use tennis as a catalyst for a healthier lifestyle, and to mitigate some of the isolation that may be felt by children in the DHH community. Through DhhEAF, participants experience increased levels of self-confidence, inclusion, and physical, mental, and emotional health and wellness.

 A group of children in the DhhEAF program are standing at a tennis net


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