Allen and Naomy DePeña, founders of Zentai, are expanding — but this time, it’s far and wide — to the Dominican Republic.
The duo, owners of local spots in Belleville and North Arlington, have launched their fifth location in the Dominican Republic through a nonprofit, Heart of Zentai, a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to empowering children in need through leadership and martial-arts training.
With the support of sponsors, they just delivered over 100 backpacks filled with school supplies to help set the children up for a successful school year.
Naomy, who also serves as a councilwoman in Belleville, is the daughter of missionaries who worked in the Dominican Republic. She shared her heartfelt connection to the community of Licey, Santiago.
“This community holds a very personal connection to me. I grew up here. My parents started a program 35 years ago to support those less fortunate and help them with basic needs of food, shelter, medical attention, and education,” she said. “Today, we’re partnering with one of the graduates of that program as our martial arts instructor. He’s giving back what was sown into him and I’m honored to continue this legacy. Seeing this come full circle is truly humbling.”
In addition to free martial arts and leadership training, the program provides a meal with every training session.
Said Allen DePeña: “Some of these children come from very challenging backgrounds. No one has told them they can be leaders and change their communities for the better. We not only offer leadership and self-defense but also opportunities and exposure that create a mindset shift, allowing them to dream of becoming more. We have secured a state-of-the-art location because we want to offer these children only the best. We want them to know that they are worth it. This marks the beginning of a transformative journey for many young lives.”
The first phase of the project aims to raise the funds to furnish and equip the new facility, creating a welcoming and inspiring environment for the children. To accomplish this, Heart of Zentai hosts a fundraising gala Sunday, Sept. 8, at the Brookside in Bloomfield. For more information and sponsorship opportunities, call (201) 508-0801.
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Kevin A. Canessa Jr. is the editor of and broadcaster at The Observer, an organization he has served since 2006. He is responsible for the editorial content of the newspaper and website, the production of the e-Newspaper, writing several stories per week (including the weekly editorial), conducting live broadcasts on social media channels such as YouTube, Facebook, and X, including a weekly recap of the news — and much more behind the scenes. Between 2006 and 2008, he introduced the newspaper to its first-ever blog — which included podcasts, audio and video. Originally from Jersey City, Kevin lived in Kearny until 2004, lived in Port St. Lucie. Florida, for four years until February 2016 and in March of that year, he moved back to Kearny to return to The Observer full time. Click Here to send Kevin an email.