Tickets Available for 2019 MaliVai Washington Youth Foundation Gala

Tickets can be purchased now for the 23rd annual Merrill Lynch/Bank of America Champions for Children Gala, presented by Florida Blue, and benefiting the MaliVai Washington Youth Foundation of Jacksonville, Fla.

The event will be held on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019 at the Florida Blue Conference Center in Jacksonville. Doors open and cocktails will be available at 6 p.m., the dinner and program will begin at 6:30 p.m., and coffee and dessert bar will be served at 8:30 p.m. The program will include a live and silent auction, annual video and youth testimonials.

“Help us continue to dare to dream at the Champions for Children Gala, raising the critical funds needed to support and expand our current programs while building our new Teen Center: ‘Club 904 — Where Teens Become Champions,'” organizers said in a release.

Following on Friday, Oct. 18 from 8-11:30 a.m. at San Jose Country Club will be the tennis Pro-Am; including light breakfast, lunch and a friendly round-robin doubles format for all levels of play.

MWYF has been providing after-school and summer youth development programs for more than two decades. Located in zip code 32209, MWYF is in the heart of one of the most violent, impoverished areas of Jacksonville. Nearly 200 children who attend MWYF programs each day are thriving in a zip code with the lowest high school graduation rate, highest teen pregnancy rate and highest juvenile crime rate.

MWYF boasts a 100% on time graduation rate, zero teen parents and only five students involved in the juvenile justice system in its 23-year history. More than $1.1 million in college scholarships have been awarded to students to continue their education beyond high school.

The mission of the MaliVai Washington Youth Foundation is to develop champions in classrooms, on tennis courts, and throughout communities. The MWYF is an official USTA Florida Community Tennis Association and member of the USTA National Junior Tennis and Learning (NJTL) network.

To buy tickets or for more info on the gala or pro-am go to malwashington.com/gala.