New Jersey Archery Program Furthers Its Reach With Lancaster Archery Foundation Grant
The Iron Dragon Kenpo Academy in Orange, N.J., has taken a grant from the Lancaster Archery Foundation and used it to launch a plethora of new initiatives aimed at developing new archers.
Iron Dragon Kenpo Academy is a nonprofit organization dedicated to “teaching, training and inspiring inner-city youth,” a notice from the academy states.
Its Golden Eagle Archery Academy was awarded a $5,000 grant by the Lancaster Archery Foundation as part of its Growing Youth Archery Together program run in conjunction with Easton Foundations.
Iron Dragon used the grant to buy a series of bows, arrows, targets and other equipment needed to attract more kids to the Golden Eagle archery program, which offers JOAD, 3-D shoots and in-house tournaments for kids and adults.
Among the initiatives Iron Dragon leadership reports it was able to launch, thanks to the Lancaster Archery Foundation grant, are:
· Incorporating the Golden Eagle Archery Academy into NASP
· Establishing a partnership with East Orange Public Schools system
· Establishing a partnership with East Orange Police Athletic League
· Creating the children’s Little Lady Ninja Archery program
These and other initiatives made possible by the grant have allowed Iron Dragon Kenpo Academy to reach more kids over the past year.
“The grant was an enormous source of sustainability,” Iron Dragon’s leadership wrote to the foundation.
“In this post-pandemic era, in an environment which continues to challenge recreational providers…we are continually grateful to donors such as you who continue to demonstrate your confidence in our ability to maintain our national reputation for outstanding health, nutrition, and family fitness programs.
“Moreover, the discipline of our programming has a lasting impact on the communities we serve as students gain confidence, excel in school and improve their overall mental health while simultaneously making the body stronger.”
In recognition of Easton Archery’s 100th anniversary, Easton Foundations in 2022 issued a challenge to Lancaster Archery Foundation, promising to match every donation made to the Foundation in September up to $100,000.
Lancaster Archery Foundation met its goal, drawing the full $100,000 award from Easton Foundations, and the combined funds were used for a series of grants under the name Growing Youth Archery Together.
The Lancaster Archery Foundation is dedicated to providing resources to grow, educate and develop athletes in competitive archery. In the past, the foundation has provided grants to USA Archery competitors required to fund their own way to international tournaments, to JOAD, S3DA, and 4-H programs, as well as Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, clubs and summer camps looking to acquire new equipment to be able to introduce more kids to archery, in addition to other nonprofit organizations with archery programs. The foundation also provides educational opportunities for archery athletes through college scholarships. Learn more about the foundation by visiting its website at www.lancasterarcheryfoundation.org.