Tennis legend Chris Evert is the featured speaker Thursday at a fundraiser for the MaliVai Washington Youth Foundation. The foundation offers after-school programs for K-12 students in the urban core.
The Current/Sherman Group of Merrill Lynch Champions for Children Gala is 5:45-10 p.m. at the Florida Blue Conference Center, 4800 Deerwood Campus Parkway.
The gala raises about $200,000 a year to support the foundation’s programs for children. Several raffles and live and silent auctions will be held throughout the evening.
In addition, 18 foundation students who have received scholarships will be honored.
The tennis pro-am event is 8:30-11 a.m. Friday at San Jose Country Club, 7529 San Jose Blvd.,
For information, call (904) 359-5437.
See how Sulzbacher has transformed lives
The Sulzbacher Center will celebrate 20 years of service to the community Thursday at its annual Transformations event.
The ceremony spotlights people who overcame homelessness after participating in the center’s programs.
The event starts with a 5:30 p.m. reception at the Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts. The program is at 7 p.m.
For information, visit sulzbachercenter.org.
Ameris Bank’s annual food drive underway
Ameris Bank’s sixth annual Helping Fight Hunger food drive is underway at all Ameris locations in North Florida.
Each site is collecting non-perishable food items to donate to local food banks as part of a larger companywide initiative.
At the end of the month, the bank’s parent company will contribute money to each local food bank that receives contributions during the drive.
Last year, Ameris branches donated 760,000 items and $100,000 to local food banks.
“As a partner to the community we serve, the Ameris Bank food drive initiative is one way we help to make a difference for those who need it most,” said Ameris Market President Cecil Gibson.
Items collected at Northeast Florida branches will be donated to Clothes Closet & Food Pantry of Orange Park, Good Samaritan Anglican Church, Green Cove Springs Food Pantry, JCP Cares, Jewish Family & Community Services, Mandarin Food Bank, Middleburg United Methodist Food Pantry and Trinity Rescue Mission.
HabiJax, NEFBA to build home in 24 hours
Habitat for Humanity of Jacksonville (HabiJax) and the Northeast Florida Builders Association are partnering for a 24-hour build.
The organizations will work together 6 a.m.-6 p.m. today and Thursday to build a home in the New Town area over the course of two 12-hour days.
During that time, HabiJax is also hoping to raise $10,000 online to help its the affordable housing effort in Jacksonville.
10 teachers receive innovation grants
The Community First Cares Foundation, the charitable arm of Community First Credit Union, distributed PowerUPJax innovation grants to 10 Duval County public school teachers.
Each teacher will receive a $500 grant to support their in-class projects.
The grant winners are: Misty Allen, Stockton Elementary School; Cheryl Clavon, Palm Avenue Exceptional Student Center; Thuvan DeBellis, Oceanway Elementary School; Kelly DeSousa, Palm Avenue Exceptional Student Center; Gayle Fiser, Darnell-Cookman Middle/High School; Mai Keisling, Paxon School for Advanced Studies; Riley Krotz, Fletcher Middle School; Kelly Lewis, Duval Charter School at Baymeadows; Jennifer Norton, Stockton Elementary School; and Terry Woodlief, Central Riverside Elementary School.
They will compete for the $1,000 Community First innovation prize, which will be presented at the 2016 EDDY Awards gala scheduled for March 12.
Read more about the projects and vote for one to receive a bonus award of $150 by going to Facebook.com/JaxPEF.
Celebration brings in $93,000 for Daniel Kids
The Daniel Kids’ 130th celebration raised more than $93,000 for children and families on the First Coast.
Nearly 300 people attended the Sept. 25 event, which raised money to help abused, neglected and emotionally troubled children. Daniel serves an average of 2,000 children and families a day.
“The event was a wonderful opportunity to show our gratitude to this community for its part in the nonprofit’s success and to rededicate ourselves to continuing to improve the odds for the next generation of children,” said Lesley Wells, chief operating officer for Daniel.