For the ninth consecutive year, Martial Arts Family Fitness (MAFF) is coordinating an Adopt-a-Family program for Thanksgiving. MAFF is a family-owned and operated school dedicated to improving lives through martial arts.
Students, instructors and staff of the school will work together to feed less fortunate families in the Santa Barbara area as part of a national project called the Thanksgiving Basket Brigade.
“Thanksgiving is a very important time of the year for many of us,” said Melodee Meyer, co-owner of MAFF “Our family of martial artists, instructors, fitness students and staff have fed over 1,200 families since we started in 2010.
“This year we continue our tradition of providing complete Thanksgiving meals to local families that otherwise might not be able to celebrate and enjoy the holiday. As a martial arts school, we believe that it is our responsibility to help others and make our community a better place to live for everyone.
“This is one simple way for us to express gratitude for this past year.”
The Adopt-a-Family program encourages fitness and martial arts students, staff and their families to donate money that is used to buy food, which in turn is included in food baskets. Students and staff assemble the baskets and then distribute them to families that have been identified.
Donations start at $30, and a $60 donation fills a basket with a complete dinner for the adopted family. Each basket includes all the makings of a Thanksgiving dinner, including a turkey, stuffing, vegetables, sweet potatoes, dinner rolls, butter and pie.
“The annual Basket Brigade provides an opportunity to become unified to accomplish good in our community,” said Austin Curtis, director of martial arts operations. “It is a time to come together and share the love for others and pass that example to our children and youth in the community.
“We are partnering with the Family Service Agency of Santa Barbara, Transition House of Santa Barbara and St. Vincent’s Garden of Santa Barbara, and are grateful for their assistance in identifying families that may not otherwise celebrate Thanksgiving in the same manner that most of us do.
“As a school and a business, we have a lot to be grateful for and part of who we are is to give thanks and share in this gratitude. We invite everyone in the community to come by and participate in this fulfilling event.
“If anyone is unable to attend but would like to donate to help feed a family, they can call us at 805-963-6233.”
“This is by far my favorite event, and the most important event, that our school is involved in,” said grandmaster Dave Wheaton, co-owner of Martial Arts Family Fitness.
“Our incredible volunteers will assemble and deliver the baskets with cards created by our youth students to the pre-selected families. It is always amazing to see the reaction of the families that receive these baskets,” he said.
“We are so proud of our students for all their hard work in making this a successful community event where we do our part in taking care of each other.”
For on Martial Arts Family Fitness, visit www.kickboxers.com or call 805-963-6233.
— Alex Rodriguez for Martial Arts Family Fitness.