PB + Jacksonville Episode 18: Mal Washington
MaliVai Washington is a formal professional tennis player who, among other accomplishments, won four ATP titles, beat #1 ranked Andre Agassi, and reached the Wimbledon Final in 1996.
To top his professional tennis accolades, Mal founded the MaliVai Washington Youth Foundation in 1996 - to service families in the 32209 zip code by instilling the principles and disciplines of playing tennis into the children of the neighborhood.
The foundation has since exploded in its 29 years - now servicing kids from elementary school all the way through high school. As of 2020, there are now two centers - one for the elementary students and one for the middle and high school students.
While tennis is a core component of the foundation, the youth centers now teach technical and financial literacy, offers tutoring and guidance, and are now offered scholarships to attend college.
The work this team is doing is unbelievable and we are lucky Mal wanted to make such a difference in our home city.
Thank you, Mal, for taking time to chat with us. We are excited to be a part of this incredible cause.