Dojo helps homeless

Azad’s Martial Arts Center recently earned national attention and scored big bucks for the Torres Community Shelter—not for fighting prowess, but for a philanthropic effort.

The Chico dojo collected shoes to donate to McManus Elementary School and the shelter for last year’s Make a Difference Day—an annual community service event held on the fourth Saturday of October. The effort, dubbed “Gimme Some Sole,” was selected by national organizers as one of 14 projects from across the country to receive a $10,000 grant for a charity of the winner’s choice.

More information—and a short video of martial arts Grandmaster Farshad Azad surprising the shelter’s director, Brad Montgomery, with an oversized check—can be found at makeadifferenceday.com.