Press releases are posted on Independent.com as a free community service.
SANTA BARBARA, Calif., November 15, 2022 – Santa Barbara Dojo (SB Dojo), a family-owned and operated school dedicated to improving lives through martial arts, announced today that for the twelfth consecutive year it is coordinating an Adopt-a-Family program for Thanksgiving. Students, instructors, and staff members 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 Master Austin Curtis, owner, and Chief Instructor of SB Dojo. “Our ‘family’ of martial artists, instructors, fitness students and staff have fed close to 2,000 Santa Barbara families since we started in 2010. This year is our twelfth-year to feed others that can use a hand, and 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 the blessings of 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 purchase food, which in turn is included in food baskets. Students and staff assemble and distribute the baskets to families identified as requiring assistance. Suggested donations start at $30, and a $60 donation fills a basket with a complete dinner for the adopted family of five. Each basket includes all the makings of a delicious Thanksgiving dinner, including a turkey, stuffing, vegetables, sweet potatoes, dinner rolls, butter and pie. Baskets will be assembled on Saturday, November 19 at Santa Barbara Dojo, located at 122 E. Gutierrez Street, and delivered to families throughout Santa Barbara immediately after.
“The annual Basket Brigade provides us an opportunity to become unified to accomplish good in our community,” added Master Melodee Meyer, co-owner of SB Dojo. “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 partnered with the Family Service Agency of Santa Barbara, Transition House of Santa Barbara, Jardin de las Rosas, and St. Vincent’s Garden of Santa Barbara and appreciate 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.”
“This is by far my favorite event, and the most important event that our school is involved in,” added Master Austin Curtis. “We anticipate that our incredible volunteers will assemble and deliver over 200 baskets with cards created by our youth students to pre-selected families. It is always amazing to see the reaction of the families that receive these baskets. 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 and our neighbors.”
About Santa Barbara Dojo
About Santa Barbara DojoSanta Barbara Dojo, formerly Martial Arts Family Fitness, is an award-winning school that opened its doors in Santa Barbara in 2002. Santa Barbara Dojo teaches the Korean martial art of Hapkido and fitness classes to adults and children, specializing in children’s life skills, youth leadership and family fitness. For information on Santa Barbara Dojo visit www.santabarbaradojo.com or call 805.963.6233.
