Aikido Nonprofit Donates First Month of Classes to Local At-Risk and Low-Income Children
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
(Santa Barbara, CA)
September 30th is the last day of Aikido Kenkyukai Santa Barbara’s month-long Facebook Fan Drive. So far the local nonprofit has gained over 40 new fans, thus opening the door to 2 underprivileged children for one month of free training and mentoring each. They’re asking members of the community to become a fan of their Facebook page and then also to suggest the page to all their friends.
The Executive Director and Head Instructor Lia Suzuki, came up with the innovative idea and decided to try it out in an effort to help raise awareness for the organization’s mission. For those of you who have not been following the story, 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 on September 30th at midnight.
Suzuki Sensei, who is becoming known as an innovator in the social media/nonprofit niche, was recently interviewed by Mr. Robert Kent. Kent is a board member of Aiki-Extensions, the international Aikido nonprofit renowned for “taking aikido principles off the mat” in projects ranging from the use of aikido principles in psychotherapy, to international conflict resolution. Kent remarked, “It just occurred to me how useful it would be to publish an interview with [Suzuki Sensei] about this in our newsletter. I’ve been using her website / facebook page / twitter feed as an example in conversations with aikido folk interested in how dojos can leverage social networking to boost membership, strengthen community ties, etc.” The interview will reach over 13,000 readers worldwide through various online media.
When asked how she came up with the idea, Suzuki 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.”
Justin Michael of givezooks!, Inc., who specializes in coaching nonprofits on how to leverage of social media to raise awareness and funding for their cause stated, “Lia has proven how aikido can be translated into nonprofit work with at risk youth as well as how the emerging realm of social media can be combined with fundraising to reach a new generation that feel disconnected. Martial arts has always been a grassroots effort and through her leadership she has created a buzz in the community for new and creative positive channels for our young people to develop.”
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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