11/12/2025
Stew's Crew Spotlight 🌟 Matt Zahand and his dōjō have volunteered for roughly 3 years with Stewart's Caring Place: "I was introduced to Stewart's through the Fairlawn Chamber of Commerce. Immediately upon walking in, I realized how beautiful and truly caring the facility was for every patron that walked through the doors.
I own and operate Zahand's Martial Arts in Akron, Ohio, alongside my mother and father. We teach Karate, Judo, and Ju-Jitsu. I also volunteer doing my Bully Buster Program in 4 surrounding school districts, teaching kids 12 ways to handle bullies without fighting.
In my free time I enjoy skydiving, dancing, working out, and hanging with my fur babies (two dogs), Fonzie the lab-terrier and Budo the pitbull.
I love volunteering at Stewart's because it is a place whose purpose is to give back to the community, and every person there does so simply to help out without desiring any personal gain. The purpose of Stewart's and the fact that it is funded through the community and gives back to entire families who are navigating the stresses of cancer (not just the patients themselves) free of charge truly melted my heart. I knew I wanted to help give back as much as I could to help the cause this facility stands for. We all have been impacted by cancer somehow. Being able to effectively help people alongside others who are there out of the genuine kindness of their heart brings about a feeling unlike any other. Stewart's is truly a place that lives up to its name - it's a caring place.
I enjoy volunteering because through much in-depth thought in my life, I realized the one way to transcend the suffering that life can inevitably bring all of us is to simply give back to others without expecting anything in return; Stewart's is a true embodiment of that principle I live by."
- Matt Zahand, Volunteer
