Aikido Nonprofit Donates First Month of Classes to Local At-Risk and Low-Income Children
Monday, September 21, 2009
(Santa Barbara, CA)
Three weeks into its September Facebook Fan Drive, Aikido Kenkyukai Santa Barbara (AKSB) has gained over 40 new fans, thus opening the door to 2 underprivileged children for one month of free training and mentoring each. The organization began the fan drive in an effort to raise awareness of their mission.
The way the fan drive works is as follows: For the month of September, AKSB is challenging Facebook members to become a fan of the AKSB Facebook page and will sponsor one child from a low-income family for every twenty new fans it receives. The drive will end when AKSB has acquired 400 new fans (for a total of 1000) or on September 30th – whichever comes first. Reaching their goal of 400 new fans would mean sponsorships for 20 low-income children from our community.
When asked how she came up with the idea, Executive Director and Head Instructor Lia Suzuki Sensei said, “Well, when I approached organizations like Police Activities League and Girls Inc to tell them about our program, they asked how many sponsored positions we had available for kids. I told them that we were still looking for individuals and corporations within the community to sponsor children. And when I approached potential sponsors, they asked who the children were that they’d be sponsoring. They wanted to have sort of a bio on a child that they’d be sponsoring. It was a bit of a ‘Catch 22’. So I decided the dojo itself should just get the ball rolling, while at the same time, setting an example. You know, ‘pay it forward’, so to speak. We’ll sponsor the kids ourselves and provide a place for them in the class, along with their equipment and sign-up fees. Then if the kids want to continue, hopefully, people and businesses in the community will step up and sponsor them so they can receive ongoing training and mentoring.”
A UCSB student and volunteer for the organization Elizabeth Cortez, stated, “The drive so far has been very successful, in that we have obtained numerous new fans of the Facebook page which has lead to sponsorship. I check Facebook almost everyday to watch our progress, and I become excited as we grow closer to our goal of sponsoring as many children as possible.”
For more information about Aikido Kenkuykai Santa Barbara, and the Facebook Challenge, or to arrange an interview with Lia Suzuki Sensei, please contact 805-870-5437. If you would like to help support Aikido Kenkyukai Santa Barbara’s fan drive and give a local underprivileged youth the opportunity to enjoy a free month of aikido, you can become a fan of their Facebook Fan Page. As a 501(c)(3) California nonprofit public benefit corporation, AKSB gratefully accepts donations that will help fund the sponsorship of at-risk and low-income children. You can make your donations by clicking here.
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Congrats, thanks for helping out our community.