Christmas Gift Distribution

Beginning in 2013, the MACC Foundation decided that more needed to be done with the funds we raised. In the brainstorming of what could be done with our funds, the board decided that we needed to have some fun with it and more direct contact with the people we were choosing to support. With teachers affiliated as both students and instructors in martial arts, they gave us the idea of supporting local kids in lower income situations that may not have access to or privilege of the same holiday cheer most all of us are accustomed to.

In December 2013, the board found two low income designated elementary schools in the Des Moines school district that were interested in what we had to offer. We decided to do two different donations. One would be holiday related (a gift exchange) and the other would be education related (books for their reading times). As reading is becoming increasingly important in the 1st Grade, it was decided to go to 1st Grade classrooms for our donations. Rather than just one or two of the classrooms though, we decided we would support the entire 1st grade at each school we would visit.

The classroom gift distribution is our favorite event of the year because we get to have interaction with kids who are genuinely excited to receive gifts during the holidays and even more excited to have books to share with each other at reading time and with parents at home. An added bonus is this supports the teachers who cannot always afford all of the books they would like to during a given year. While gifts and books may not be needs in the common sense, happiness, education, and time together is very important to all of us and we recognize that it is a simple, strong way we can impact a lot of people.

All of our gifts are oriented around family: board games! These games, much like our martial arts experiences, bring families together for much needed fun, social interaction during a sometimes very stressful time of the year. The smiles on the kids’ faces and the look of awe as the ninjas deliver gifts and books in their classrooms is priceless. With continued support from the community, this is a tradition we plan to keep going each and every year!