About Nak Muay Foundation

Our Mission

Nak Muay Foundation Inc. is a California-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting Muay Thai athletes, gyms, coaches, students, and underserved communities through charitable aid, educational support, training resources, and community-based programs.

The name Nak Muay comes from Thai. “Muay” means boxing, and “Nak” refers to a student, practitioner, or person devoted to a craft. Together, Nak Muay represents the student of the art.

That meaning guides our mission beyond the ring. While our roots are in Muay Thai, our work supports the people behind the sport — young athletes, coaches, students, families, gyms, and communities who need opportunity, resources, and encouragement.

Through equipment donations, athlete sponsorships, youth programs, school supplies, safety gear, community outreach, and direct support projects, our purpose is simple:

To use Muay Thai as a vehicle to uplift lives, strengthen communities, and create opportunity for the next generation.

Who We Are

Nak Muay Foundation was founded in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, when gyms were closed, fighters were struggling, and many members of the global Muay Thai community were left without support.

What began as a small effort to give back has grown into an international outreach mission supporting athletes, coaches, gyms, youth programs, and vulnerable communities in the United States, Thailand, Cambodia, India, and beyond.

Our founders, Daniel Hodges, Ryan Hodges, and Jaqueline Grier, have spent years involved in Muay Thai, community service, event production, and charitable outreach. Their background, including service in the U.S. Marine Corps and personal experience growing up in low-income communities, shaped the foundation’s commitment to action, resilience, and service.

Nak Muay Foundation exists because we believe support should reach the people who need it most — not just the champions in the spotlight, but also the students, coaches, gyms, and communities building the future of the sport.

What We Do

Nak Muay Foundation supports charitable and educational projects connected to Muay Thai, youth development, community safety, and access to opportunity.

Our work includes:

Athlete Support
We help young fighters and students access training opportunities, equipment, sponsorship support, and community recognition.

Gym and Coach Support
We provide training gear, safety equipment, and resources to under-resourced gyms and coaches working with youth and local communities.

Youth and Education Projects
We support students through school supplies, educational resources, youth programs, and safe spaces to learn, train, and grow.

Community Outreach
We assist communities through direct aid projects, including food, hygiene supplies, dental kits, home improvement support, disaster relief, and other needs-based assistance.

Muay Thai Development
We help preserve and grow Muay Thai by supporting grassroots gyms, local events, cultural exchange, and programs that create positive pathways through the sport.

Where We Work

Nak Muay Foundation has supported projects across multiple communities and countries, including the United States, Thailand, Cambodia, and India.

Recent initiatives include:

Sponsoring young athletes, including Eliana Renteria in the United States.
Partnering with Wor. Watthana Orphanage in Buriram, Thailand, to support Muay Thai events and youth programs.
Supporting the development of a rural youth training space in North Ayutthaya, Thailand.
Assisting Kun Khmer boxing coaches in Cambodia facing relocation pressure.
Donating supplies and educational resources to Children Legacy Organization in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
Delivering training gear to under-resourced gyms in Meghalaya, India, including remote mountain communities.
Providing gear, school supplies, hygiene items, mouthguards, and community support to athletes and students in need.

Every project reflects one belief:

Muay Thai is more than a sport. It is a tool for discipline, confidence, culture, opportunity, and community.

Why Muay Thai?

Muay Thai teaches resilience, respect, courage, discipline, and humility. These values do not stay inside the ring. They shape how students carry themselves in school, at home, in their communities, and throughout life.

For many athletes and young students, a gym is more than a place to train. It can be a safe space, a support system, a source of mentorship, and a path toward a better future.

Nak Muay Foundation exists to protect and strengthen that path.

Whether we are helping a young fighter get equipment, supporting a coach who teaches kids, helping a gym serve its village, or providing basic supplies to families in need, our mission remains the same:

Support the fighters and students behind the fight.

Transparency and Governance

Nak Muay Foundation Inc. is organized as a nonprofit public benefit corporation and operates for charitable and educational purposes.

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, donations may be tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. The foundation is governed by its board of directors and maintains internal records, including corporate filings, bylaws, meeting minutes, financial records, and project documentation.

We are committed to responsible stewardship of donations and resources. Funds are used to support charitable programs, community outreach, youth development, equipment donations, educational projects, and mission-related initiatives.

For verification, donation records, partnership requests, or nonprofit documentation, please contact us directly.

Join Our Mission

Nak Muay Foundation is built by people who believe in service, community, and the spirit of Muay Thai.

You can support the mission by donating, volunteering, sponsoring a project, partnering with us, or sharing our work.

Every contribution helps us provide equipment, training resources, safety gear, educational support, and direct aid to athletes, gyms, students, and communities in need.

Together, we can help build a stronger, safer, and more united Muay Thai community.

Khob khun krub/ka. Chok dee on your Muay Thai journey.