Project Spotlight
Bounce Back Project
Giving used tennis balls a second life in schools, animal shelters, and assisted living.
The Focus of Our Efforts
Tennis balls are often discarded while they still have useful life left in them. The Bounce Back Project reduces waste by collecting used balls, sorting them, and donating usable materials to organizations that can put them to work.
What We Do
Collection: During active collection months, our team collects used balls from local clubs and academies.
Reuse: Usable balls are prepared for schools as chair-leg covers, animal shelters as enrichment toys, and assisted living centers as walker-leg covers.
Impact: The project has repurposed more than 74,000 tennis balls and donated more than 30,000 to organizations that can use them effectively.
Get Involved: Clubs interested in participating can visit the Partners page or contact us directly to arrange a pickup.
Impact to Date
74k+
Tennis Balls Repurposed
30,000+
Donated
4
Recipient types
For Teachers
Free Tennis Balls for Classroom Chair Legs
Chair legs dragging across the floor are a constant source of classroom noise. We cut used tennis balls to fit chair legs and donate them to schools, animal shelters, and assisted living centers.
Can my classroom get free tennis balls for chair legs?
The balls are donated, not sold. Bounce Back has given repurposed tennis balls to schools, animal shelters, and assisted living centers, and how much we can supply depends on what has come in from our collection partners. Email outreach@bintobetter.org with your school, the number of chairs, and your location, and we will confirm what we can cover for your request.
Why put tennis balls on classroom chair legs?
Chair legs scraping across a floor are one of the loudest and most constant sources of classroom noise. Tennis balls on the legs muffle that noise during transitions and protect waxed or hardwood floors from scratches, and they cost nothing when the balls would otherwise be thrown away.
Do you cut the tennis balls, or do we?
Our volunteers have cut the balls to fit chair legs before handing them over, and have gone out to nearby classrooms to help put them on the chairs. Tell us how many chairs you have when you get in touch and we will confirm what we can do for your school.
How many tennis balls can a classroom request?
A single classroom usually needs around 100 to 150 balls to cover every chair leg. We have delivered drops ranging from 250 balls to more than 4,000 for whole schools, so tell us the scale you need and we will work out what is available.
Where do you deliver tennis balls?
Bounce Back operates in the San Francisco Bay Area, and our collection partners are tennis clubs and academies across the region. If you are outside that area, email us anyway — we can talk about shipping or about starting a chapter near you.
My tennis club has used balls. How do we donate them?
Clubs, academies, and facilities can arrange a pickup by emailing outreach@bintobetter.org. We collect used balls during active collection months, sort them, and route usable ones to schools, shelters, and assisted living centers.
In the Field
Project Photos
Pickups & Drop-offs
