Martial Artists Help House Boston’s Elderly Homeless

BOSTON, MA – Collaborating with Hearth, Inc., a non-profit organization that provides shelter and services for the community’s elderly homeless, karate students from Boston’s Emerald Necklace Martial Arts are volunteering to renovate a housing unit in the city’s Jamaica Plain neighborhood. Working side-by-side with other volunteers from across the city, the karate students hope to see the project — which involves light demolition, painting, and cleaning -- completed by mid-December.

"Truly, we could not have made this a reality without the help of these volunteers,” said Jennifer Bonardi, Associate Director of Grants and Volunteer Manager at Hearth, Inc. “Thanks to them, 14 elders will be coming off of the streets of Boston and into a home for good this winter."

The students at Emerald Necklace Martial Arts regularly participate in community service activities as part of their Black Belt training. In order to earn their Brown Belts, students at the dojo (karate school) are required to conceive of, plan, and lead their own community service project.

Coordinating the Hearth service project for the dojo was the idea of Brown Belt candidate Joe Polcari. “I have a special place in my heart for the elderly,” Polcari says. “In America, they are often overlooked. Like most of us, I sometimes take my situation for granted, and I can’t imagine what it’s like to feel the pain of old age without a roof over my head.”

“In addition to teaching the physical aspects of karate at our school, we heavily emphasize developing character, and fostering a sense of community,” says Sensei Jason Gould, Dojo Director and Chief Instructor. “During this project, we’re helping to build community in a very literal sense, and it’s a fantastic feeling knowing that our efforts here will have a direct and significant impact on people’s lives.”

Other community service projects recently launched by Brown Belt candidates at Emerald Necklace Martial Arts include developing a free self-defense program for women, organizing a day of service at an urban food pantry, and collecting toys for needy children during the holiday season.