Jiu jitsu for all.
Our Mission:
Guardian, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is committed to providing free youth jiu jitsu scholarships to underserved youth around the world.
We are dedicated to offering children year-round stability and consistency through our programs, focusing not just on their physical transformation, but also on fostering positive friendships, mentorship opportunities, and a secure environment during challenging times. By partnering with established and trustworthy academies, donors can trust that a minimum of 85% of their contributions directly fund the scholarships they support.
353 underserved youth students are currently fully sponsored within our 13 projects worldwide.
We partner with existing academies to bring our scholarship to youth that need it most. This approach allows donations to go far as our partnered academies already have overhead costs covered through their existing memberships.
We fully sponsor both Guardian Peru projects to provide training and required gear for their 80+ enrolled youth students in Mancora and Lobitos.
We provide an inclusive environment for youth regardless of their physical capabilities and believe jiu jitsu should be for everyone.
Guardian operates without any bjj or political affiliation. Our focus is helping young people train jiu jitsu.
What we do:
Add a Guardian Scholarship to your academy.
Our Story
Guardian was founded by Ben Kovacs and Joel Lunenfeld in 2015, initially starting as a single academy in Oakland, California. Our original program was a resounding success, supporting over 1,000 youths across the Bay Area by providing mentorship, free training, and a welcoming community. From the outset, we envisioned Guardian as more than just a physical space; we aimed for it to have a global impact.
In 2020, we evolved our approach and introduced the Guardian Scholarship. This initiative was designed to broaden our reach, offering support to children worldwide to engage in training. Leveraging our extensive network of friends and academy partners accumulated over the years, we started integrating scholarships within their schools, ensuring that financial barriers do not prevent children from accessing our programs. Every child deserves the chance to participate.
As we forge ahead, we are committed to expanding the availability of our scholarship, touching more cities and countries, and thus providing countless more children with the transformative benefits that jiu-jitsu has to offer.
