Melanie Lawson is turning 50 this month, and instead of just throwing a party, she’s using the milestone to shine a spotlight on a Jacksonville nonprofit that has spent more than two decades helping local girls and families. Her celebration, called Dear Jacksonville: A Love Letter, 21 Years in the Making, is set for Thursday, Oct. 29, at the Ritz Theatre & Museum, with part of the proceeds benefiting Empowerment Resources, Inc.
Lawson describes the night as both a personal milestone and a tribute to the place she now calls home. As reported by News4JAX, she described the evening as “my 50th birthday celebration and love letter to the city” she has called home for 21 years. She said she chose Empowerment Resources, Inc., known as ERI, as her charitable beneficiary, directing part of the night’s proceeds toward the organization’s work with girls, young people and families.
The connection between Lawson and the nonprofit goes back further than the party planning. She knows ERI founder Elexia Coleman-Moss personally, and over the years she has emceed events for the organization, helped connect it with resources, and shared her own experiences with young women in ERI’s Journey Into Womanhood program, according to the same report.
A Nonprofit Built Over Two Decades
Empowerment Resources was founded in 2002 and incorporated in 2003 by Coleman-Moss, according to the organization’s About page. The group describes itself as a 501(c)(3) grassroots nonprofit based in Jacksonville, Florida, that serves at-risk youth and families through programs and services meant to positively affect the whole family, per its website.
According to the nonprofit’s about page, Empowerment Resources has empowered more than 1,000 youth and adults across Duval and surrounding counties through its signature programs. The organization runs three programs built around youth development, parenting education and family empowerment, the same source notes, with the Journey Into Womanhood program among its offerings for young women.
News4JAX reported that Coleman-Moss has continued finding ways to serve Jacksonville families for 23 years. The station previously recognized her work in 2024 through its Positively JAX series, the report notes.
What to Expect at the Ritz Theatre
Dear Jacksonville is billed as an evening of storytelling, music, performances and reflection, according to News4JAX’s report. Doors open at 6 p.m., with the show beginning at 7 p.m. at the Ritz Theatre & Museum on Thursday, Oct. 29. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster.
The exact share of proceeds directed to Empowerment Resources has not been disclosed, nor has a full lineup of performers or speakers been released. What is confirmed is that part of the night’s proceeds will benefit the organization’s ongoing work supporting local girls, young people and families, per the same report.
Beyond ticket sales from the birthday event, Empowerment Resources says it continues to welcome volunteers, community partners and ongoing financial support, according to its website. For an organization that has spent more than two decades quietly building programs for Jacksonville’s youth and families, a milestone birthday from someone who has watched that work up close may bring new attention to its mission.
