outreach + service

 Gratitude Bags

Some call it service. The yogis call it “seva”. We call it the right thing to do. 

Some years ago I decided that each year I wanted to dedicate a significant portion of the funds that came my direction to people whose path I crossed who are facing challenging times.

Here are some of the little things we’ve done (well, YOU have done, really… if you are already part of our community):

 For five years running, we have been creating “gratitude bags”. Our Sunday Yoga Church community would come together (in person or in the ethers) and we would fill hundreds of little paper bags to be distributed throughout the year… These bags had granola bars, gloves, toothbrushes, nuts, and other little “goodies” to help someone get good nutrition and proper hygiene if they were living on the streets or struggling. We fill all the bags and then each of us take a few and put them in our cars to hand out to anyone who looked as though they needed a little support.

PERSONAL SUPPORT

If there’s one thing we know for sure it’s that “life happens”….. and when it does; for example when one of my greatest mentors and teachers was robbed… our community came together and donated a significant amount of money to offset her losses. All I do — in cases like this is make the call and donate my time, my teaching, and my resources… and I hold my hands out to pass 100% of donations in the direction of those who might come upon hard times.  though they needed a little support.

ADOPT A VILLAGE

We partnered with “Project Hope” and the Yucatan Giving Foundation to sponsor an entire village of more than 300 women and children who have escaped violence, drugs, human trafficking and poverty. Together with our community, we bought more than 300 Christmas gifts and provided food for every family in the village. Additional and ongoing donations will go to building an infrastructure for water and septic for the “found-item” dwellings in the village, and offer ongoing support as needed.