Contact: William Clarke, CASID Director
After Hurricane Sandy hit the Jersey City area and left a path of destruction in its wake, the Family Fitness Martial Arts family at 419 Central Avenue took action. Led by Masters Vinh Dang and Mike Dang, Family Fitness organized to help those devastated by the one-two punch of Hurricane Sandy and the Nor’easter that followed soon after in Mid-November.
Family Fitness opened its doors and welcomed donations to help with the Hurricane Sandy Relief in the form of blankets, coats, clothes, socks, hats, gloves, scarves, Non-Perishable Foods and monetary donations. These donations were provided primarily by the Masters and families of students and parents at Family Fitness Mixed Martial Arts but many others stopped by to find out how they could lend a hand as well. Some of these donations were given to help families who were displaced from Little Ferry, NJ and are now in Jersey City. The other half of the donations included 13 space heaters, diapers, sanitary wipes, and the donation of 500 dollars originally collected for Breast Cancer Research in October. These funds were donated to Pastor Luis of Calvary Chapel in Kearny, NJ where the donations will help those affected by Hurricane Sandy in Far Rockaway, NY.
The generosity of members and staff at Family Fitness Mixed Martial Arts will help provide families across the Tri-state area with a much happier Holiday Season.“It is during the worst times when we see the best in people. Jersey Cityans and the Family Fitness family came together as human beings to lend our hands and hearts to those who needed help,” explained Cheryl Bogusz of Family Fitness Martial Arts. She continied, as St. Francis said, “For it is in giving that we will receive.”
“Family Fitness’ generosity and kindness reflects their status as a pillar of the Central Avenue and Heights community,” said CASID President Michael Yun. “This is the type of leadership that we encourage and applaud from Central Avenue businesses and Central Avenue is fortunate to have Family Fitness Martial Arts here where they teach such valuable lessons to our youths. ”
Founded in 1992 the Central Avenue Special Improvement District Management Corporation is an organization dedicated to guiding and promoting the positive social growth and economic revitalization occurring in the City of Jersey City by providing supplemental management, maintenance, and improvements to the Central Avenue business district also known as the “Central Avenue Special Improvement District” (Central Avenue between Manhattan Avenue and North Street).