Looking Back Into 2018 and Stretching Forward Into 2019: Nonprofit Review
2018 has come to an end and non-profit OG Yoga is now heading into its 4th year of offering trauma-diversity informed and mindfulness-based yoga through partnerships with non-profit organizations serving marginalized individuals to support healing, resilience, self-development and positive social change. Let’s look back at 2018 to see who we’ve served and how we’ve grown, and then we’ll look ahead to see how OG Yoga will continue to live out its mission going forward.
2018 Non-Profit Partnerships & Initiatives
Girls Rehabilitation Facility
In 2018, OG Yoga taught weekly trauma-informed and mindfulness-based yoga classes at the Girls Rehabilitation Facility (for female teenagers) with mats gifted by lululemon. This partnership will continue in 2019.
Integrity Charter School / Boys & Girls Club
OG Yoga taught weekly trauma-informed and mindfulness-based yoga classes at Integrity Charter School / Boys & Girls Clubs Payne Family Branch. This partnership will continue in 2019.
The Braille Institute
OG Yoga taught weekly trauma-informed and mindfulness-based yoga classes at The Braille Institute, serving the blind and visually impaired. This partnership will continue in 2019.
Naval Consolidated Brig
OG Yoga taught trauma-informed and mindfulness-based yoga classes at the Naval Consolidated Brig - for male military prisoners. This partnership will continue in 2019.
Jewish Family Services Safe Parking Program
The Safe Parking Program provides a safe and welcoming environment for unsheltered families and individuals living in their cars, many of whom have recently found themselves homeless for the first time. OG Yoga provided trauma and diversity sensitive yoga and meditation every other week beginning on November 12th. OG Yoga also provided boxes of gently used fitness clothing from the lululemon OG Yoga Hook-Up (see below to learn more). This partnership will continue in 2019.
Paseo at COMM22
OG Yoga taught trauma-informed and mindfulness-based yoga classes at Paseo at COMM22, a low-income housing project in Barrio Logan for seniors. This partnership will continue in 2019.
Westcare Department of Corrections
OG Yoga taught weekly trauma-informed and mindfulness-based yoga classes at Westcare Department of Corrections for female inmates. This partnership will continue in 2019.
Tubman-Chavez Community Center
OG Yoga taught weekly trauma-informed and mindfulness-based yoga classes at Alternative Healing Network's Integrative Health Nights at Tubman-Chavez Community Center. This partnership will continue in 2019.
Celadon Bridge Housing
OG Yoga taught trauma-informed and mindfulness-based yoga classes at Celadon Bridge Housing, a low income housing project in Downtown San Diego. This partnership will continue in 2019.
San Diego Continuing Education Foundation
OG Yoga taught trauma-informed and mindfulness-based yoga classes at The San Diego Continuing Education Foundation (SDCEF), a nonprofit public benefit corporation that is committed to student success and community enrichment by providing accessible, equitable, and innovative quality education and support services to diverse adult learners in pursuit of lifelong learning, training, career advancement, and pathways to college. This partnership will continue in 2019.
2018 Community Pop-Up Events
Casey Family Programs
Casey Family Programs is the nation’s largest operating foundation focused on safely reducing the need for foster care and building Communities of Hope for children and families. They provide consulting services to child welfare systems; direct services to children and families; public policy resources; and research and analysis. OG Yoga partnered with Casey Family Programs on Saturday, December 15th with classes for youth, families and staff. OG Yoga also provided boxes of gently used fitness clothing from the lululemon OG Yoga Hook-Up (see below to learn more).
Ninth District PTA
Ninth District PTA advocates for all children and youth in San Diego and Imperial Counties and provides service, support, training, leadership, and guidance to 359 unit PTAs and 17 councils serving nearly 100,000 members. Ninth District PTA serves the community through education, collaboration and resource services. OG Yoga delivered a mindfulness based tutorial for over 300 parents and teachers at their annual meeting.
Maie Ellis Elementary School
Maie Ellis Elementary School serves K-6th grade students and is part of Fallbrook Union Elementary School District. OG Yoga partnered with the school's bilingual academy to bring age-appropriate wellness programming on-site for over 500 children with specialized training for teachers to incorporate mindfulness, meditation and yoga throughout the school day and practice wellbeing and self-care to keep their buckets full.
Fleur De Lis School
Fleur De Lis School is one of the premier early childhood preschool programs in San Diego serving children 2 to 5 years of age. Since 1929, the school has been providing a developmental approach for the social, emotional, physical and intellectual growth of the young children at the school. OG Yoga provided teachers at Fleur De Lis School with instruction on how teach yoga, mindfulness and meditation to 2-5 year olds.
Harmonium PrimeTime
Harmonium operates PrimeTime extended school day programs for children in K-8th grade throughout San Diego Unified School District. The PrimeTime Extended Day Program, provides elementary and middle school students with a fun and engaging learning environment during the hours most parents/guardians are working. More than 4,000 elementary and middle school children participate in this free daily program which offers teacher certified tutoring, mentoring, homework assistance, arts and crafts, music, organized games and activities, and monthly enrichment presentations. OG Yoga delivered a mindfulness based tutorial for 150 Harmonium staff members.
Just In Time for Foster Youth
Just In Time for Foster Youth’s mission is to engage a caring community to help transition-age foster youth achieve self-sufficiency and well-being. Their vision is a future in which every youth leaving the foster care system has a community of caring adults waiting for them after 18. They believe consistent, long-term help from the heart is the foundation for the success of these youth so they can thrive and enjoy productive, satisfying lives. OG Yoga provided yoga on the beach for young adults from foster care.
Mental Health Systems’ The Clubhouse
Mental Health Systems (MHS) - Mariposa Clubhouse is a member-run socialization center that acts as a bridge between traditional mental health treatment services and the community. Provides a safe environment where adults participate in peer support groups and social activities. Services include case management, social security advocate, peer support, groups, and vocational services. In December, OG Yoga provided trauma-informed chair yoga.
Yoga For Peace: Spring Yoga Series
OG Yoga and lululemon Fashion Valley, in partnership with Pilgrimage of the Heart Yoga and Hotel del Coronado, offered a Spring yoga series with proceeds benefiting OG Yoga. The series ran from April 15 through June 10, 2018. 300 guests attended the series and $6,000 was raised for OG Yoga.
Savasana at Sunset: Summer Yoga Series
lululemon La Jolla in partnership with iam Physical Therapy supported OG Yoga in a summer yoga series aimed to ground the community in relationship and connection. 200 guests attended the summer series and $3,000 was raised to support OG Yoga.
Take A Holiday Breath: Winter Yoga Series
In November and December of 2018, OG Yoga and Hotel del Coronado offered a weekly yoga series that provided the community with an opportunity to connect, give back, and slow down during the holiday season. 100 guests attended this winter series and $1,500 raised to support OG Yoga.
lululemon's "Feel Good Giving" Donation Classes
In December 2018, lululemon offered donation-based, all-levels yoga flow classes throughout their five store locations to help raise funds for Here to Be partner, OG Yoga, and to honor the fifth limb of yoga, pratyahara. 75 guests and $1,125 raised.
The [OG Yoga] Hookup at lululemon Fashion Valley
lululemon Fashion Valley collected gently used yoga / fitness clothing to donate to "here to be" charitable partner OG Yoga to distribute to our partner agencies: Jewish Family Services Safe Parking and Casey Family Programs for Foster Youth.
Other 2018 Milestones
Festival of Yoga
Sponsored by Pilgrimage of the Heart Yoga, Festival of Yoga is one of San Diego's largest yearly yoga festivals in celebration of the United Nations International Day of Yoga. In 2018, OG Yoga was honored to be the Festival of Yoga’s first ever beneficiary. The free festival was attended by over 2,500 people and featured community yoga classes, live music, vendor booths and a variety of breakout sessions to inspire and empower yogis of all ages, levels and walks of life. In 2019, OG Yoga will again be the beneficiary of Festival of Yoga and Healthy Living on Sunday, June 23, 2019. Register here.
OG Yoga Launches 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training School
Non-profit OG Yoga's first-ever 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training School (YTTS) program wrapped up in December of 2018. This 200-hour school was presented in affiliation with Cloud Nine Yoga and is a Yoga Alliance Registered School with a special emphasis in trauma-informed and mindfulness-based practice.
This specialty 200-hour school emphasizes the knowledge, tools and experience needed to effectively work with vulnerable populations– those facing homelessness, poverty, abuse, addiction, and reentry, including youth, foster care, veterans, incarceration, seniors and people with low-vision.
Registration for OG Yoga’s next 200-hour program beginning February 1, 2019 closes on Wednesday, January 30th. Learn more here.
lululemon Grants Scholarships for 200-Hour YTTS
OG Yoga has been chosen to receive one of the lululemon Here to Be ambassador grants to be used for scholarships to OG Yoga’s 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training School in 2019. Learn more here.
OG Yoga Selected by LEAD San Diego
In 2018, OG Yoga was selected to be one of six nonprofit partner agencies for LEAD San Diego, an affiliate of San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce. Members of LEAD’s Impact San Diego Class of 2019 will form teams to gain hands-on experience by working with organizations to accomplish vital projects that will benefit the agencies and the San Diego community. Through the LEAD program, OG Yoga will work on refining the OG Yoga Teacher Training School and doubling its size to meet the increasing demand for trauma-informed and mindfulness based yoga.
OG Yoga’s Goals for 2019
We’re excited about OG Yoga's plans for 2019 and have hit the ground running. We'll impact more people in need through the healing powers of yoga by expanding our OG 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training School, growing our instructor-base, partnering with more non-profits, spreading the word, and reaching more donors and stakeholders. Below are some of our goals for the coming year:
Kickoff 2nd Session of OG Yoga’s 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training School (February 2019).
Partner with Pilgrimage Yoga in their 4th Annual Festival of Yoga & Healthy Living (June 2019).
Add 4 new partnerships with nonprofit organizations.
If you’d like to get involved with OG Yoga in 2019, we’d love to hear from you– whether you’re a yoga instructor, a nonprofit, or an individual looking to give their time, talent, and treasury to help provide yoga, meditation, and mindfulness to underserved and vulnerable communities.
Thank you again to all of our donors, sponsors, volunteers, and partners who have helped OG Yoga in our start-up years.
Your Donation Makes a Difference
Please consider joining our passion to bring yoga to those in need. Even a donation of $5 to $10 can make an impact. Every $150 OG Yoga raises pays for an entire class for a group of people in need.
OG Yoga is a non-profit project fiscally sponsored by Mission Edge Tax ID#27-2938491 with an annual operating budget that must be raised each and every year. OG Yoga chose to be fiscally sponsored to keep its overhead low and ensure that 90% of its resources go directly to its programs for at-risk populations.