Thursday, December 12, 2024
Kick-a-thons are good fun. When they’re done to fight hunger, they’re even better to be involved with. The Popkin-Brogna Jujitsu Center is a family-owned dojo that recently did just that. The participants were not only showing off their fighting prowess, but doing so for a good cause.
The West Hempstead dojo has been in operation for 19 years, but this event was the first of its kind there. It hosted a Kick-a-thon to fight hunger, in partnership with Long Island Cares, a food bank that helps to feed those in need, on Nov. 9. There were two sessions.
“This was really done to get the kids involved, to get them to understand a bit,” Sensei Joseph Brogna said. “People don’t understand how privileged we are. No matter how bad we think things get, we’re not worried about food most of the time. We brought it to the kids three weeks ago — they’ve been really excited. We plan to bring the donations to the LIC the week before Thanksgiving. That way, families can be fed for the holidays.”
Brogna, one of the dojo’s original partners, learned from Long Island Cares that many Long Islanders do not have regular access to food, and it takes all of $16 per day to feed a family.
Roughly 234,000 people suffer from a lack of access to food, including 65,000 children, according to the organization. Nearly 3 percent of Long Islanders struggle to afford food.
Although 40 percent people who are struggling are above the poverty threshold, they don’t earn enough money to keep up with the cost of living in Nassau and Suffolk counties, Long Island Cares says. And being above the poverty line — $55,500 for a family of four — usually makes them ineligible for government assistance.
To do their part to help those in need, the jujitsu center set a goal for each student taking part in the Kick-a-thon to raise $25, which, according to Long Island Cares, provides 19.25 pounds of food and 15.75 meals.
The students far exceeded the goal, with many families donating $100 even before seeing how many kicks their children could do. Recommended sponsorship was 5 to 10 cents per kick. Most students did 80 kicks or more, and some did over 200.
Some families came with their donations in envelopes, and then were inspired to give extra cash when the event was over. The dojo is still counting money but they have received at least $2,000 in donations.
Brogna’s son Nick, 25, is one of the dojo partners who organized the Kick-a-thon. He trained there as a child.
“I probably started around 6 years old,” Nick recalled. “I quit later on, went to college to be a physics teacher. Then I realized that I liked physics and was good at it, but I didn’t love it. I love teaching and I love kids. I realized that this had been such a rewarding and amazing job. Now I work here full time and train in my own time.”
The dojo is a family business through and through. Howard Popkin is another partner, but it’s his son Jordan 11, a member since he was a toddler, who is the more extroverted Popkin.
“Senpai is Japanese — it means student who came before,” Jordan explained. “Sensei means teacher or master. Here we have two senseis and three senpais leading us.”
Watching all the dojo students take part in the Kick-a-thon, it seemed clear that everyone was happy to be a part of an activity that gives back to the community.
