Champions Martial Arts learns to give back

With the help of its students and their families, the Freeport Champions Martial Arts Taekwondo School collected non-perishable food items for Operation Child Rescue throughout the entire month of November. 

To give back to the community, the martial arts school located at 54 West Merrick Road encouraged its pupils to gather canned food items from their homes, the houses of their friends and family, and wherever else they might find culminating into an end of the month drop off.

“I chose to participate as a Freeport school,” Program Director Ann Marie. “Since I was doing it, I was gonna give it back to Freeport. I wanted to keep it in the neighborhood.”

Operation Child Rescue was founded in 2018 by a group of martial arts school owners who try to make a difference in their local communities as well as by working together with other organizations.  Their desire to give back to their communities has resulted in many children receiving medical attention and treatment, as well as families in need of food getting fed. The non-profit organization’s reach spans the country, with over 70 different martial arts schools supporting their cause as far away as California.

“The organization puts together a fundraiser two to three times a year,” Marie said. “So, collecting the canned foods was one of them and the kids got really involved.”

Marie had set a goal of collecting 100 cans but was wonderfully surprised when her students went above and above, collecting more than 150. After the month of food collection was finished and they had met their goal, Marie and several of her students went to Archer Street School to turn in all of the items they had gathered. 

“I had a handful of kids come with me to drop the food off so they could represent the school,” Marie said. “Some of them went to that elementary school, so it’s nice for some of them to have been able to see their teachers from last year or a couple years ago.”

Archer Street School then forwarded the collected goods to Our Holy Redeemer Church on 87 Pine St, where they would be contributed to their food bank just in time for the holidays.

“This was a wonderful experience for the children, they learned to give back and to support their community,” Marie Said.

Champions Martial Arts Taekwondo School is currently seeking toys for the annual “Toys for Tots” campaign in Freeport. New and unwrapped toys can be dropped off at their school, located on 54 West Merrick Road.