Los Angeles resident Josh Kline saw an opportunity to help those in need, and he decided to do something about it. Kline, an active member at the Mulholland Tennis Club, launched a website and app called have|need.
Put simply in a recent note to his current investors and partners, Kline stated: “We all have things we don’t need and need things we don’t have. While millions of people have smartphones and internet access, according to a Forbes study, over 60% of Americans don’t have enough savings to cover a $500 emergency. Enter have|need.”
The startup company closes the loop to help people get what they need through providing what they have in exchange. have|need is the first multi-party barter platform for goods and services. It can match the haves and needs of a virtually limitless number of individuals, creating an increased sense of community, sharing, reuse and sustainability.
At the end of October, Kline teamed up with the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education to give away hundreds of free tennis racquets, and the USTA Foundation took notice. In partnership with those groups, including the Marty Hennessey Inspiring Youth Foundation, a free tennis clinic took part during the ATP $50,000 Men’s Challenger held at UNLV.
“The goal was to start in Las Vegas and see how it goes locally before doing more nationally,” said Kline, adding that Steve Miller of the Agassi Foundation brought the USTA Foundation on board.
“I reached out to Steve Miller with the Agassi Foundation originally,” he continued. “For me it’s about making sure he felt good with how it went. That event in Las Vegas was a pilot, and I will be meeting with them again to see if we can keep working together and how to scale that event.
In his official statement, Kline said: “As a lifelong tennis player and someone who believes in the value of youth sports, I am honored to work with the USTA Foundation and the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education to help expose kids to the game of tennis, and help connect them with the equipment and guidance they need to keep playing. I’m so appreciative of the work that the Las Vegas Tennis Open did to help make this happen. When we launch the have|need service publicly early next year, our goal is to support this type of activity on a global scale.”
While Agassi was traveling the weekend of the event, his wife 22-time Grand Slam champion Steffi Graf paid the clinic a visit helping to introduce local youth to competitive tennis. The organizations gifted the young participants with new tennis racquets, instruction from professionals and information on how they can continue playing.
To follow along with have|need’s journey and stay up to date on their latest projects, visit haveneed.org.