United Way of Greater Knoxville will virtually celebrate the launch of House Knox: A Housing Navigator Program. House Knox is designed to make safe, affordable housing available. Guests will hear from United Way of Greater Knoxville President and CEO Matt Ryerson and United Way Worldwide U.S. President Suzanne McCormick. The event will be held via Lunchpool. Attire is casual/business casual.

In recognition of the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States, the public is invited to a Juneteenth Virtual Town Hall Meeting for a discussion on racial justice. Panelists include Vice Mayor Gwen McKenzie; Knoxville Branch NAACP President John Butler; Knoxville Area Urban League President and CEO Phyllis Y. Nichols; Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Commission Chair Deborah Porter; Beck Cultural Exchange Center President Rev. Reneé Kesler; Community Defense of East TN Imani Mfalme; Police…

Friends of the Knox County Public Library will hold its annual meeting via Zoom. Members will hear from Friends President Sharon Smith and incoming Friends President John Williams, plus vote on the proposed 2020-2021 slate of officers and directors as submitted by the nominating committee. Mary Pom Claiborne, director of communications for Knox County Public Library, will speak about the challenges faced by the library this year and provide updates on beloved library programs and the continued support of Friends.…

Knoxville Area Urban League Young Professionals (KAULYP) is revamping its chapter and, under the leadership of newly appointed President Kiame Biandudi, will host the Dr. Walter S. E. Hardy Scholarship Fundraising Brunch - named for one of Knoxville’s first African American physicians - via Zoom. The event will feature Dr. David Foster III of Naples, Florida, and keynote speaker Dr. Keith Gray, the first African American chief medical officer for the University of Tennessee Medical Center. The $1,500 Dr. Walter…

Join the Alliance for Better Nonprofits for a one-day online virtual event via Zoom that is designed to harness the power of stories to advance an organization's mission, attract supporters and amplify impact. Conference highlights include eight dynamic sessions, an international keynote and other featured speakers, and breakout rooms for peer-to-peer networking. Tickets are $99 per attendee for ABN members; $199, non-members; and $59, students. Registration is available at betternonprofits.org/conference.  

YWCA Knoxville & the Tennessee Valley will host its Keys of Hope Luncheon, now in its 10th year, in support of its Keys of Hope Women’s Program. The table-hosted event begins at 11:30 a.m. on a virtual platform. The Keys of Hope Women’s Program offers a 58-bed facility and counseling for women to empower them to become self-sufficient by providing safe, affordable housing for up to two years. (This event was rescheduled from May 7).

Seeds of Imagination is a fall luncheon to recognize a legacy of readers and to benefit Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of Knox County. The virtual event will honor Dr. Nick Geidner for his outstanding work in producing The Library that Dolly Built. Join the Advisory Board of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of Knox County for a virtual experience, visit friends at your "table," play some Dolly trivia and win some prizes. This event will raise funds to cover the monthly cost of…

The Latino Awards honor those who serve the East Tennessee community and is Centro Hispano de East Tennessee's annual fundraising event and primary opportunity to share community and culture and showcase the impactful work. While the 2020 event won't have the dancing, singing and food, it will have a virtual campaign at latinoawards.swell.gives. The emcees will be Erin Donovan and Louis Fernandez, who will broadcast live from local Knoxville artisan Eugenia Almeida's studio, A New Hue. The Centro Hispano team…

The 2020 Carry the Torch event, hosted by the Volunteer Ministry Center, will be a virtual event shown via Facebook Live at 12:15 and 7:15 p.m. The featured speaker will be Krista Tippett, a New York Times best-selling author, journalist and host of NPR’s  “On Being.” Register HERE as a virtual table host or guest. (This event, usually a luncheon, was postponed because of COVID-19 and previously had been scheduled in 2020 on April 22 and June 16.)  

The East Tennessee Community Design Center (ETCDC) will hold its 50th anniversary celebration in a virtual setting. This event will celebrate the 50-year history of the Design Center. Register HERE to be a sponsor or purchase tickets. The virtual event includes a party in box, access to the education series, early access to online art auction and online access or copy of 50th anniversary book depending on ticket/sponsorship level. For questions, call 865-525-9945 or email [email protected].

Leadership Knoxville will hold its annual fall homecoming to celebrate the incredible alumni of all classes and kick off the Annual Alumni Dues Campaign with some very special guests. Alumni can register for the virtual event HERE.

Young-Williams Animal Center will hold its sixth annual fall benefit, “Cause for Paws,” in a virtual format. The virtual event will include creative storytelling, behind-the-scenes access and lots of appearances from furry friends, along with a few surprises. Email Stephanie Eastman Vozar at [email protected] for sponsorship information or click HERE. "Cause for Paws" is a primary fundraiser for the nonprofit animal shelter and official intake center for Knoxville and Knox County.

YOKE Youth Ministries will hold its annual fundraising banquet with a virtual event in 2020. Details are available HERE and include registration and table hosting information.

The luncheon, now in its ninth year, will be virtual in 2020, will be emceed by WATE's Lori Tucker with speaker, musician and entrepreneur Holly Audrey Williams. Table hosts and ticket holders will still enjoy a gourmet lunch, wine and programming. The luncheon serves as a benefit for low-income women and girls across 25 counties in East Tennessee in the areas of education, life and work skills and showcases the impact of the Women’s Fund of East Tennessee. (This event…

Catholic Charities of East Tennessee (CCETN) will hold its 6th Annual 365 Days of Hope Luncheon in a virtual format in 2020. Knoxville’s business and community leaders can learn more about CCETN and its programs. The event will be hosted by Bo Williams of WATE TV, and the keynote speaker is Tony Vitello, head coach of Tennessee baseball with special guest Honorable Judge Tim Irwin. Registration and donations can be made online.

Join Random Acts of Flowers for a special virtual event celebrating founder Larsen Jay and raise your glasses to Larsen's leadership as he "passes the torch." Random Act of Flowers will look back at how Larsen's simple act of kindness blossomed into the Random Acts of Flowers nationwide movement, along with how to be a part of Random Acts of Flowers' continued growth and impact. WBIR's Mark Packer will serve as special guest host. Sponsorship information is available HERE. All…

In lieu of the Equal Opportunity Awards Gala, which had to be canceled in 2020 due to COVID-19, the nonprofit will partner with WBIR for an impactful week of storytelling with never-before-seen footage and stories about racial and social justice, past and present. The impact of the organization can be seen through the eyes of people whose lives were changed by the Urban League. Visit thekaul.org/impactweek for more information. Impact Week will conclude Thursday, Oct. 29, with Impact Hour. Impact…

In lieu of the Equal Opportunity Awards Gala, which had to be canceled in 2020 due to COVID-19, the nonprofit will partner with WBIR for an impactful week of storytelling with never-before-seen footage and stories about racial and social justice, past and present. Impact Week will conclude Thursday, Oct. 29, with Impact Hour, from 4-5 p.m. Hear from special guests, including Dr. Rev. Harold Middlebrook, City of Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon and more. Impact Week will serve as a fundraising…

The 18th Annual Black Tie & Blue Jeans Gala, a benefit for New Hope Blount County Children’s Advocacy Center, will be virtual in 2020 with a silent auction starting Nov. 2 and ending Nov. 8. Additional information is online and on Facebook. All proceeds will help the nonprofit cross the finish line of the "Let Me Be Heard Campaign" and move into a new child-focused building in spring 2021.

The Legacy Housing Foundation will hold its third annual “Fais Do-Do,” a celebration of southwestern Louisiana, aka Cajun, dance music at a fundraiser for the organization in a virtual format in 2020 called "Fais Do-Do@HOME." It will be streamed live on the Legacy Housing Foundation's Facebook page and YouTube channel from Nashville at 7 p.m. Eastern with music by Roux du Bayou and hosted by Erin Donovan. People can join the fun for free with donations encouraged.

The 2020 NightinGala, an annual event celebrating nurses and the profession, will be held virtually with a week-long auction that starts at 8 a.m. Nov. 13. During the livestream at 7 p.m. Nov. 20, the College of Nursing will recognize the outstanding contributions of two individuals through the Volunteer Nursing Champion Award and the Dr. Sylvia E. Hart Distinguished Alumni of the Year Award. All NightinGala proceeds support the college’s efforts to develop and prepare the next generation of nurse…

The annual gala for Girls Inc. of Tennessee Valley will be virtual in 2020, but it has not stopped Girls Inc. The organization serves girls in the community with the highest need with access to fresh food and programs that provide educational enhancement in a safe space to learn, grow and express their thoughts and opinions while learning from trusted mentors, as well as their peers. Contact Kirby Deal at [email protected] for sponsorship opportunities and additional information.

The 27th annual Knoxville Award Luncheon recognizes and honors a deserving person who demonstrates his/her care for the community and its citizens. The 2020 luncheon will be held as a virtual event, and the honoree will be former Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero. Guests can pick up their meal from the Knoxville Convention Center from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. on the day of the event. At 12:15 p.m., each guest will have access to a link to view a video that showcases…

"The Library That Dolly Built" will premiere on Facebook with a live performance and Q&A session from Dolly Parton. The film features the music of Dolly Parton and is narrated by actress and author Danica McKellar. It is produced by Land Grant Films, directed by journalism professor Nick Geidner, edited by video instructor Clinton Elmore and crewed by 15 University of Tennessee students. Watch the trailer HERE. Watch the event on Facebook HERE.

As part of the 2021 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Commission of Greater Knoxville celebration, a virtual Interfaith Prayer Service. Additional information is available HERE.

The Beck Cultural Exchange Center, as part of the 2021 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Commission of Greater Knoxville celebration, will host its seventh event in the series of Racial Justice Town Hall Meetings. Join the event by clicking HERE. The panel of local civil rights speakers at the virtual event will include Robert Booker, the Rev. Dr. Harold Middlebrook Sr., Theotis Robinson, Lorenza Glasgow and Bishop Warren Brown.

UT Humanities Center (UTHC) and Union Ave Books will host a free Public Books Circle book discussion and a conversation with UTHC Director Amy Elias and author Ann Pancake about her critically acclaimed novel, "Strange As This Weather Has Been." Called by the New York Times Book Review "powerful, sure-footed and haunting," the book is set in 1990s West Virginia in the midst of a coal boom. It tells the story of a family plagued by poverty and the effects…

The UT Humanities Center will kick off the 2021"Conversations and Cocktails: Breaking Boundaries" series with Distinguished Professor Ernest Freeberg, head of the Department of History at the University of Tennessee, on the topic of "Making Humans More Humane: Henry Bergh and the Birth of Animal Rights in 19th-century America." The talk is based on Freeberg’s entertaining new book, recently reviewed by The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and other publications, called "A Traitor to His Species: Henry Bergh…

The annual fundraiser for Keep Knoxville Beautiful (KKB) honors the Knoxville and Knox County buildings and outdoor spaces that beautify the local landscape. In 2021, it will kick off Feb. 1 at 10 a.m. and run for four weeks with nominee highlights, awards announcements, silent auction and gift packages supporting KKB. Buy gift packages and bid in auction HERE.

CASA of East Tennessee’s annual Red Shoe Gala, now in its ninth year, features a Wizard of Oz theme of “There’s No Place Like Home.” The “party in a box” for the virtual event features emcee B97.5 welcome video; pre-recorded virtual entertainment; and access to the silent auction, including a large selection of local goods and experiences. Sponsorships and silent auction donation opportunities are available. Red Shoes are encouraged. Attendees in red shoes can email photos in advance to [email protected]…

The Knoxville Area Urban League (KAUL) will hold its annual membership meeting to recognize the organization’s board, corporate sponsors and volunteers. The event will be held in a virtual format.

Keep Knoxville Beautiful will kick off its Thursday Talks series with Kat McDearis of Green Heron Compost. Attendees must register in advance at this LINK. Every other month, Keep Knoxville Beautiful will host a webinar on the third Thursday to educate the community on everything dealing with keeping Knoxville clean, green, and beautiful.

The Friends of the Knox County Public Library will hold the "Stay Home and Read a Book Ball." RSVP by making a gift in any amount to Friends using the donation form HERE and then shop for books with a 10% off coupon from Union Ave Books, mix a drink with a free recipe from Libacious, and read for a cause. The all-day event will support the Knox County Public Library by raising funds to add more e-materials to the…

Friends of the Knox County Public Library and the John C. Hodges Society of the University of Tennessee Libraries will present the 2021 Wilma Dykeman Stokely Memorial Lecture with novelist Wiley Cash and poet Frank X Walker. Frank X Walker is the first African American writer to be named Kentucky Poet Laureate and is the current head of the MFA program at the University of Kentucky. Cash, a New York Times best-selling author of A Land More Kind Than Home…

United Way of Greater Knoxville will hold its Annual Report meeting via Zoom to celebrate accomplishments in 2020 and thank partners and volunteers. Register HERE.

University of Tennessee President Randy Boyd will deliver his annual State of the University address, and campus leaders, UT System staff, elected officials, business leaders and members of the public are invited to watch. Boyd’s remarks will highlight key accomplishments from the previous year, as well as outline initiatives that will help solidify UT’s greatest decade in history. The State of the University address will be Boyd’s third since joining UT in November 2018. The webcast can be watched HERE.

The Muse Knoxville will hold its 8th annual scholarship luncheon in a virtual format to raise money for programs. The Muse for All fund provides an essential resource for early-childhood education and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) enrichment. All funds raised allow Muse Knoxville to offer educational programming and exhibits to children regardless of economic, physical or social barriers at no cost. Register HERE to attend the event. Muse Knoxville is a nonprofit children’s Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and…

The Black Dress Ball benefits the Junior League of Knoxville and features dinner, a silent auction and entertainment provided by comedian Sid Davis. All tickets include access to the virtual show, a charcuterie board provided by Knoxville Cheese & Party Boards, dessert provided by KJ’s Cookies and a special gift from the Junior League of Knoxville. All tickets must be purchased by April 1, 2021. Active and provisional members must RSVP to receive a couple level ticket as part of…

Pellissippi State Community College presents Pellissippi Strong: A Virtual Celebration to support students and alumni. The event will feature a live Q&A session with Knoxville's Allison Page, president of Magnolia Network, the media joint venture between Discovery, Inc., and Chip & Joanna Gaines' home and lifestyle brand Magnolia. Guests will enjoy a celebration of Pellissippi State's annual alumni awards, including the Distinguished Alumni Award and Peggy Wilson Volunteer Alumni Award, hosted by WATE-TV's Tearsa Smith, as well as door prizes…

The East Tennessee Writers Hall of Fame gala, now in its 17th year, is a benefit for Friends of Literacy. The virtual event will honor outstanding local writers for their work and celebrates the richness and diversity of the written word in East Tennessee. The event also will include readings and performances by area writers.

The Grandstand Classic is a fundraising event to benefit Make-A-Wish® East Tennessee and revolves around all things Kentucky Derby. The nonprofit's signature event and largest fundraiser of the year will be virtual in 2021 with all of the usual Derby fun: best dressed, hat contest, silent auction, horse races and, most importantly, beautiful wish stories. Join the virtual event/program at 6 p.m.; it will end just prior to the live Kentucky Derby races. Make-A-Wish helps to grant the wishes of…

The 11th annual Keys of Hope Luncheon will be held virtually in 2021. The luncheon is YWCA's signature fundraising event of the year. Registration is available at this SITE.

The luncheon, now in its 10th year, will shift to a virtual format in 2021 instead of the planned in-person event for safety reasons. The luncheon will be presented by WATE and streamed on the television station's app. Food, wine, dessert and the program can be picked up by appointment. The luncheon serves as a benefit for low-income women and girls across 25 counties in East Tennessee in the areas of education, life and work skills and showcases the impact…

The Latino Awards honor those who serve the East Tennessee community and is Centro Hispano de East Tennessee’s annual fundraising event and primary opportunity to share community and culture and showcase the impactful work. Centro Hispano de East Tennessee will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, observed Sept. 15-Oct. 15, with a virtual iteration of the gala. The event features an online auction and streaming broadcast of live and pre-recorded programming from Centro Hispano staff. Tickets to the 2021 Latino Awards are free.…