What Exactly Is A Yoga Benefit Program, And How Can You Be Part Of It?
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Taken at weekly Yoga to Benefit Kids’ Chance class, held at Capehart Scatchard.
I’ve written in the past about my goal of helping others through Yoga Benefit Programs. In my yoga story, I explained why I feel so passionately about using yoga to help others, not solely through the physical practice (though that too, of course), but in the larger picture of life. In fact, I have a goal of (eventually) raising $10,000 per year for charities/causes through yoga benefit programs - that’s how passionate I am about this. If you follow me on any social media, you’ve probably seen me posting about the Yoga to Benefit Kids’ Chance program that I’m involved in, which is an amazing opportunity to use yoga to help raise funds for a fantastic organization, and I feel so grateful to be part of it.
But I realize “benefit” has numerous meanings in numerous contexts (i.e. I hope that every yoga class I teach has some benefit to those that take it, whether it’s a “benefit class” or not!), so I wanted to write a bit more in depth about the yoga benefit programs that I offer, and how you, your company, or an organization you’re part of may be able to… ahem… benefit.
Yoga Benefit Programs, as I define them, are yoga classes, series, or workshops in which proceeds go to a charity/cause/or non-profit organization (note: each benefit program is customized and therefore all are run slightly differently, and I work to be super upfront about what percentage/entirety of the funds go to charity).
Benefits can be held by:
An individual looking to raise funds for a cause/event/charity/nonprofit/etc. For example, each year I walk the Out of Darkness Overnight Walk for Suicide Prevention. I have held several yoga benefit classes (taught by other teachers, as I wasn’t certified at the time) in which the class was a suggested donation of $20, and after the teacher’s fee was paid - because I wouldn’t expect someone to work for free - the proceeds went to the walk/cause.
A group looking to raise funds. Maybe you’re a group of neighbors looking to raise funds for something in your community. Or perhaps you’re part of an organization looking to raise money and awareness for a cause. Or maybe you're a church or other community group looking to raise money for a charity that you’re involved in. Whatever the group, I can work with you to create a yoga benefit class or program that fits your needs.
Workplace. I’ll probably write a whole separate piece on why I so strongly support yoga programs at the workplace. But workplace yoga benefits offer numerous opportunities to give back. First off, you’re offering your employees/teams a wellness opportunity right there on site. Speaking from experience (I’ve been a participant in workplace yoga as well), this often provides the opportunity to people that might not normally have the chance to take yoga (time, location, schedule, etc), or might be nervous about going to the studio (I find this often with first timers, who are encouraged by other first timers and friends/coworkers they know also giving it a try). Secondly, by participating in a benefit program, not only are you providing something valuable to your employees, but you’re helping out a cause/charity/nonprofit.
An organization/nonprofit/charity. Maybe you *are* the cause, and you’re looking to raise funds and awareness for your organization. I can work with you to create a yoga benefit program that fits your needs. It can be anything from a one-time yoga event to an annual yoga benefit to a yoga series (maybe tailored towards your cause, if possible), or an ongoing yoga class. The benefit could be held on site, or we could partner with other companies/organizations to host.
Conferences and professional events. These days, it’s becoming increasingly common for professional events and conferences (especially multi-day events) to include opportunities for both wellness/stress relief and for giving back. As a conference attendee, I’ve personally participated in everything from digging fence posts holes in New Orleans after hurricane Katrina (the giving back portion) to puppy cuddling (stress relief for attendees, and probably enjoyable for the puppies too!), and numerous activities in between. Offering a yoga class for stress relief that also benefits a cause or non-profit organization is a great way to build giving back and attendee wellness into a conference or event.
Basically, anyone else. This list above contains a few examples, but since my yoga benefit programs are customized to fit the needs of the client, we can be creative. The key to any Yoga Benefit Program is that it’s yoga that gives back - it uses the benefit of yoga on the mat to reach further and benefit others off the mat.
I’m happy to answer any questions about yoga benefit programs and my specific offerings. And of course, if you’re interested in working together to build a yoga benefit program, or know someone else who might be, I’d love to discuss with you.
