Educate Tomorrow’s “Gala-ry” at the Rubell Family Collection

Benefiting their programs to serve current and former foster youth

Several neon decorated electric-violin players, paired with a DJ, set the mood, while artwork, fittingly by teenage artists, provided the backdrop for the Educate Tomorrow’s 12th annual fundraising event. Allowing the exhibit to provide the color, the over 350 guests wore only black, white and neutral colors. The only attendees wearing color were Educate Tomorrow College Graduates, the organization celebrates it’s 100th in 2016, making them easily recognizable and encouraging guests to engage them in conversation.

The evening’s program, emceed by City Year Senior Vice President Charlie Rose, featured a special presentation to the night’s Honorees, the Simkins Family, the Market President for Bank of America, Gene Schaefer, announced Educate Tomorrow being named a 2015 Neighborhood Builders Award winner, which includes a $200,000 investment from the bank, and the highlight of the night: five Educate Tomorrow Alumni who shared their stories of overcoming, seemingly insurmountable, challenges to break cycles of generational poverty and become college graduates, mentors, graphic designers, educators and in one young woman’s case, a lawyer! Their stories awed and inspired all in attendance; after they finished speaking, there was not a dry eye in the house.

In addition to Bill Hansen Catering, Smith and Wollensky along with Jaguar Spoon Bar and Latin Grill provided delicious tapas style plates while drink sponsors Bacardi USA and Concrete Beach Brewery provided the open bar.

Event sponsors, individual donations and a silent auction, featuring everything from artwork, to weeklong cruises, to exclusive hotels and restaurants, raised a record amount for Educate Tomorrow to continue to offer, as well as expand, the critical life changing interventions it provides to over 500 highly vulnerable young people in Miami.

The Rubell Family Collection was a perfect venue, so much so that Educate Tomorrow plans to hold the event next year, and for many years to come, at The Rubell. This is definitely an event you do not want to miss in 2017!