Bringing Yoga to San Diego Foster Youth...
You Can Help!
Fundraiser Successful! Thank you everyone!
February 2010
We are thrilled that we met our goal of providing yoga props for foster youth through The Healing Project. Thanks to donations from many Akasha Yoga students throughout December and January, on February 8th we delivered 16 bolsters, 30 blankets, 28 blocks, 15 straps and 20 eye pillows to New Alternatives transitional foster home in Hillcrest. These props will be used to teach restorative yoga and relaxation techniques to children to help them learn self-calming tools and recover from traumatic experiences.
Many thanks to all who participated and made this possible!Pictured below: Natalie Masson (Akasha Yoga owner) &
Nate Woodin (Healing Project coordinator)
.
Fundraiser Background...
December 2009"There's no place like home for the holidays." This may be a familiar song lyric that many of us take for granted. But for thousands of foster children in San Diego, the concept of "home" is completely different. Facing abuse and neglect in their original homes, they count on agencies and generous individuals to help them experience basic stability, care and safety, and to help them learn to thrive without a consistent family base.
One of our instructors, Renee Gauthier, teaches yoga at a foster home supported by New Alternatives in San Diego. Renee's classes are part of The Healing Project, a newly-established branch of New Alternatives.
"The Healing Project at New Alternatives fosters resilience, confidence and peaceful habits through gardening and yoga with foster youth in our community. The mission of New Alternatives is to provide culturally competent and family focused services to child victims of abuse, neglect and abandonment."
Yoga classes, taught by Renee and other local instructors, are designed to teach the children skills of relaxation and mindfulness. By giving the children the tools for how to cultivate a state of peacefulness inside, they are providing them resilience that will serve them for years to come.
Natalie Masson, the owner at Akasha Yoga, lended a hand one Saturday morning this past October during a volunteer gardening project at the Healing Project. She was inspired by the variety of counselors, yoga instructors, and random San Diegans she met running the project. "It was clear to me that all of the volunteers were coming from such a genuine place of giving, and wanting to create something special for the children."
As a result we are creating special opportunities for the Akasha Yoga community to help keep The Healing Project thriving and growing. They are in need of yoga props and funds for gardening supplies and ongoing yoga instruction. Our goal is to provide them with a new set of relaxation bolsters by the end of this year. We would like to do much more, and with your help, we're hoping we can.
Peace & Joy Deep Relaxation Classes - Donation-based
- Wednesdays, December 16, 23, 30, 7-8:30pm
- No experience needed. Wear comfortable clothes and bring a yoga mat if you have one.
- Classes will incorporate mindfulness practice, gentle yoga and stretching, restorative yoga, and blissful guided imagery. [Info on Events Page]
- All classes are donation-based. Anything you contribute will go directly to The Healing Project at New Alternatives. $5, $10, $100? Any amount is helpful.
January 2010 Update: We've raised $700 so far! Deep gratitude to all who contributed!! We recently learned that the class sizes at New Alternatives have grown and we're going to keep this fundraising going so that we can meet our goal to buy a full set of restorative yoga props for this foster home. $200 more will do it. Read on if you'd like to help out! Namaste.
I Want to Help by I Can't Make It to the Classes!
No problem. We've set up a special account for donations to The Healing Project. Every dollar you contribute helps a child build life-long skills for happiness and contentment. We believe that every child deserves to have these opportunities. Click on the paypal link below and enter the amount that you would like to contribute.