Welcome to Yoga for the People!
We are a grassroots, volunteer-run organization that relies on the support of the yoga community to match volunteer instructors with nonprofits who help unserved, underserved or at-risk people and to provide community-based donation only classes. In addition, YFP provides support and education for yoga teachers choosing the path of yoga in service to those in need, and research and evaluation on the benefits of yoga.
YFP was founded in 2006 to foster wellness for all communities by providing quality, accessible, community-centered yoga programs and trainings. YFP believes that when people practice yoga, they choose balanced, joyous, nourishing and loving lives. In 2008, we successfully obtained our 501(c)3 nonprofit status. In fiscal year 2010-11, we provided agency- and community-based classes for partner nonprofit organizations and low-income communities, serving 2,208 people who could benefit from yoga but may not have equal access.
Program Model
Our mission: Yoga for the People works with health and human service providers and yoga teachers to create sustainable yoga programs for communities in need.
Our key constituents are:
- Health and human service providers
- Yoga teachers
- Communities in need via the above
Our impact comes from providing four program areas that create access to yoga:
- Education – to health and human service providers and the general community
- Training – to yoga teachers and agency staff to implement yoga programs
- Network/Catalyst – to create partnerships that bring yoga to communities in need
- Research & Evaluation – to demonstrate the effectiveness of yoga as a tool for transformation
Our model is to provide leadership to bring people together and create change from a community-based model.
- We look at what can be, rather that what is
- We play a catalytic role in sparking and creating programs
- We weave people together around a common interest and vision
Our goal is to use a training and leadership model that increases capacity in the sector to provide yoga programming. We do this by educating service providers, training and supporting teachers, conducting research, and bringing these elements together to create programs where none exist. Our hope is that yoga programming is then integrated into organizations through our volunteers and in some cases, by training the organizations’ staff to run programs. We stay involved as an ongoing training and support resource, but work to grow by establishing new connections and sites.
Please explore our website to find what can best serve your needs. Whether you are interested in a free or donation-based community class, a teacher looking to serve, a studio interested in partnering with us, or an organization or company that would like to bring yoga to your clients or staff, we would love to hear from you.
Yoga for the People is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and all donations are tax-deductible. Please click here to make a secure online donation via Paypal.
