The Zaevion Dobson Memorial Foundation will be presenting a grant of $10,000 to the Change Center on Sunday, March 17 at 3:30 p.m.  This gift will be made in memory of Zaevion Dobson and in honor of Zak Dobson. The event will take place at the 4th Annual Skate for Zae Day, to be held at the Change Center located at 203 Harriet Tubman St.

The Zaevion Dobson Memorial Foundation was established in 2016 to promote and provide recreational and educational facilities for underserved communities. Zaevion Dobson was both an athlete and a scholar.  He loved sports and he loved to read and write. In keeping with Zaevion’s goals and achievements in his lifetime, the Foundation hopes to provide safe environments for underserved youth to gather, play, and learn together.
 
Zaevion Dobson was a 15-year old student and football player who died while heroically shielding friends from gang-related shootings in December 2015. His sacrifice has been noted from the White House to ESPN.

Zaevion was known for his positive attitude and infectious joyfulness. He was a leader in the community as part of the 100 Black Men of Greater Knoxville’s mentor program and played for the Fulton High School Falcons football team, wearing the number 24.

The Change Center is a safe, strategically located, center-city partnership facility that provides relational, recreational, leadership development, and job initiatives for teens and young adults.