$0 Out-of-Pocket Martial Arts Training for Your Foster Family
About 13,000 kids are in foster care in Michigan, and foster parents are burning out. We're the support you've been looking for.
Every kid deserves a coach who shows up.
Jiu-jitsu gives your child the same coach, the same mat, and the same team every week. We help you get it covered through your child's caseworker or agency, so you pay nothing.
Plus: once your child is approved, you train free too.
What a kid in care gets from the mat
A lot changes for a child in foster care. Twice a week, this doesn't.
The same people every week
Same coach, same time, same teammates. Kids learn that the adults in the room will be there next week too.
Confidence they earn
Every stripe and belt is earned on the mat. Nobody can hand it to them, and nobody can take it away.
A safe place for big feelings
Hard work, clear rules, and controlled practice give energy and stress somewhere to go.
A team to belong to
Kids train alongside friends who don't know or care about their story. On the mat, they're just a teammate.
Free training for you once your child is approved
You take care of everyone. Who takes care of you? Foster parents carry a lot, and burnout is the top reason good ones step away. So once your child is approved, you get unlimited training on us, for as long as your child trains. Moms and dads are welcome, and no experience is needed. Train while they train, or come on your own time.
- Stress out, energy back. One hard hour on the mat clears your head for the rest of the day.
- Something you share with your child. Learning the same moves gives you something to talk about on the drive home.
- Your own people. Other parents, coaches, and teammates who are glad to see you.
From first class to fully covered
Tell us about your family
Fill out the short form below. Takes a minute.
Try a free class
Your child trains, you watch, and we make sure it's a fit.
We build your packet
We collect a little info about you and your child, then send you a complete funding packet.
You submit it
Hand the packet to your child's caseworker or agency. They review and approve it.
Train all year
Once approved, all gear is included. You pay $0, and you train free too.
We build the packet. You hand it in.
Paperwork is usually what stops a foster parent, so we do it for you. We'll ask for some basic info about you and your child, then send you our complete funding packet. You submit it to your child's caseworker or agency, and if they have questions, they can reach us directly.
Michigan foster care policy asks caseworkers to support normal childhood activities like sports. This is one of them.
Southgate
- Program description: what your child will learn, class length, and ages
- 12-month cost breakdown: tuition and uniform, itemized
- Class schedule: days and times for your child's age group
- Invoice made out the way the agency needs it
- Attendance reports on request, so everyone sees it's being used
Jiu-Jitsu & Kickboxing, ages 5–17
All gear included. Classes are grouped by age, so your child trains with kids their size.
Little Lions
Balance, coordination, listening, and confidence, taught through games and structure.
Kids Jiu-Jitsu
Real self-defense, focus, and discipline. Kids learn to stay calm under pressure.
Teens
Jiu-Jitsu or Kickboxing. Real skills, real conditioning, and a team that pushes them.
Okay, good news! It went through! We are ready to join!
We have a 100% success rate. Every foster family we've helped apply has been approved, with no cost to them.
See if your child qualifies
Tell us a little about your family. We'll call you to set up a free class and explain the funding step by step.
- Ages 5 to 17, within 10 miles of the gym
- No cost to apply
- No commitment until funding is approved
- Free training for you once your child is approved
- Foster and kinship families welcome
Have a child who could use this?
We'll send you our program packet and work directly with you on funding. Refer one family or your whole caseload.
What foster parents ask us
Which kids qualify?
Any child ages 5 to 17 in foster or kinship care who lives within 10 miles of our Southgate gym.
What classes can my child take?
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Kickboxing, with all gear included.
When are classes?
See the full class schedule at metrojj.com/schedule.
Is it really $0 to me?
Once your child's funding is approved, yes. Tuition and all gear are covered, and you pay nothing.
What if my child can't get fully covered?
We have a 100% success rate getting families fully covered. In the unlikely event yours isn't, you still get 50% off tuition.
Do I really get to train free too?
Yes. Once your child's funding is approved, you get unlimited training for free, for as long as your child trains. It's our way of looking after the people who look after these kids.
My caseworker has never heard of this. What do I say?
That's common. Tell them you'd like to request funding for an extracurricular activity, and have them email us at [email protected]. We'll send the packet and walk them through it.
What if my child's placement changes?
Your membership with us can't be transferred to another gym. But if your child's new gym is also an approved vendor, they should be able to keep training there.
Will martial arts make my child more violent?
No. It works the other way around. Kids learn control, respect for their training partners, and when not to use what they know. Hard training gives them a healthy place to burn off energy and work through big feelings.
My child has never done martial arts. Is that OK?
Almost every kid starts that way. Classes are grouped by age, and coaches start everyone at the beginning.
My child has had a hard time. Will this be too much?
Classes are structured and supervised, and kids are never pushed into anything before they're ready. Come watch a class first.
What does my child wear to the first class?
Comfortable athletic clothes. No shoes on the mat. The uniform comes with enrollment.