As our community continues to face a tight economy and shrinking budgets, the Daily Record has established this feature that will each week chronicle the efforts of local nonprofit organizations. Bailey Publishing & Communications invites all members of the local nonprofit community to submit news, announcements, success stories and any other information they believe would be of interest to our readers. Email to: [email protected].
We also encourage our readers to become more aware of the needs of these worthy organizations as they continue to provide valuable services with reduced resources.
Sports gala benefits foundation
The Merrill Lynch/Bank of America Golf & Tennis Gala to benefit the MaliVai Washington Kids Foundation took place Sept. 12-13. The event included tennis and golf and a gala dinner for nearly 400 people.
Seventeen foundation students were recognized for their accomplishments and awarded $70,000 in college scholarships.
The event included silent and live auctions with items including private tennis lessons with Andre Agassi and Stephanie Graf, a round of golf with Jim Furyk and tennis great Ivan Lendl and a seven-day vacation at Club Med’s Sandpiper Resort.
The event raised nearly $225,000 for the programs and services of the MaliVai Washington Kids Foundation.
Celebrities who participated included the NBA’s Sam Jones, former Jacksonville Jaguar Tony Brackens, actor Chris Bruno, comedian Kenny Kramer, former major league baseball players Sid Roberson and Desi Relaford and tennis players Todd Martin, Brian
Gottfried, Jan-Michael Gambill and Ricardo Acuna, among others.
This year marks the 15th anniversary of the MaliVai Washington Kids Foundation, a local nonprofit youth development organization which operates the TnT (Tennis-n-Tutoring) afterschool program.
The TnT program serves more than 180 underserved youth in the community and provides free homework assistance, tennis lessons and life skills classes to
youth in grades K-12 Monday-Friday.
The mission of the MaliVai Washington Kids Foundation is to develop champions in classrooms, on tennis courts and throughout communities.
Cathedral Arts expands programs
The Cathedral Arts Project is launching after-school arts classes at 24 sites as part of National Arts in Education Week.
Cathedral Arts continues to offer free classes in visual arts, drama, dance and music to more than 1,000 underserved students throughout Jacksonville.
Program offerings include ballroom dance, ballet, band, chorus, painting and acting. All classes are led by qualified instructors and meet during after-school hours twice a week throughout the year.
“Our year-long programs develop creative, innovative thinkers and also provide a spark that engages students with learning, inspiring them to succeed at school,” said the Rev. Kimberly Hyatt, executive director of Cathedral Arts.
Cathedral Arts has established partnerships with Community Connections, Communities In Schools, the PACE Center for Girls and The Sanctuary on 8th Street.
New partners include Jefferson Davis and Arlington middle schools, where students will participate in jazz band and visual art classes respectively.
A newly launched Family Advisory Council will hold its first meeting at 7 p.m. Oct. 13 at St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral.