Everyone who practices yoga knows how life-changing these practices can be. That said, giving the gift of yoga or meditation is a powerful one to share with those struggling.
If you’re looking to donate to an organization that is spreading yoga and positive spirituality in the world, you must read this blog first.
“As we work to create light for others, we naturally light our own way.
Mary Anne Radmacher
Best Yoga Charities & Non-Profit Organizations
There are countless organizations that are helping people heal and find their true selves. This list of the best yoga charities and non-profit yoga organizations bringing yoga to veterans, incarcerated individuals, and other vulnerable communities.
Below you’ll find a list of the best yoga yoga charities and what each of them is about. Make sure to read all the way through so you are making the right decision with your money.
Veterans Yoga Project
Veterans Yoga Project’s goal is to add yoga and meditation treatment to those struggling with PTSD. VYP offers free in-person classes all over the United States.
Veterans, active-duty members, and their families can also access free daily online classes.
All VYP classes are taught by graduates of their teaching training program. Their VYP Teachers are trained specifically to work with veterans who may be suffering from PTSD. Many previous VYP students have returned as teachers to share what they have learned with other veterans.
When founder Dr. Daniel J. Libby patient’s practiced yoga or meditation, he noticed their PTSD symptoms improved. Many of VYP’s students are in awe that something as simple as breathing and meditation can help heal their PTSD.
Another veteran-focused non-profit to check out is Come Back Yoga.
Donate to Veterans Yoga Project
Prison Yoga Project
The Prison Yoga Projects is one of the best yoga charities brings trauma-informed yoga to incarcerated people in the United States and across the world.
Practicing yoga and mindfulness techniques behind bars reduces recidivism, increases the effects of therapy, decreases anger and depression, and improves self-awareness.
PYP also offers a special program started in 2010 in which they offer the book Yoga: a Path for Healing and Recovery to incarcerated people for free. Maybe inmates write to PYP requesting the book. Since 2010 they have given away more than 33,000 copies.
A few other charities working behind bars are Prison Yoga And Meditation (based in Los Angeles,) and Yoga Behind Bars (based in Seattle.)
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Give Back Yoga Foundation
This non-profit yoga organization focuses on helping yoga teachers give back to their communities. Their core mission is to provide supplies like mats to yoga teachers who would like to set up a service-based yoga project in their area.
By using this model, they are able to help spread yoga to vulnerable peoples easily and quickly.
They also offer yoga teacher training scholarships to minority groups. Smaller yoga projects who are looking to get kick-started can also apply to the Give Back Yoga Foundation for funding.
Give Back Yoga Foundation also offers an online university where teachers can go to learn more about yoga, science, and non-profit work. There’s a large library of videos and lectures from current yoga industry leaders.
This is definitely one of the best yoga charities aimed at specifically empowering yoga teachers.
Donate to Give Back Yoga Foundation
Sheltered Yoga
Sheltered Yoga offers trauma-informed yoga classes to boost mental health and self-esteem. They work in communities across New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Delaware.
Sheltered Yoga offers classes in group homes, transitional housing, shelters, special needs schools, rehab centers, and more. Their classes focus on building self-worth and confidence in these poverty-stricken areas.
For anyone interested in offering trauma-informed yoga classes in their community, you can join one of their training courses.
Their curriculum is unique because it’s not just about yoga, their aim is to teach self-regulation through mindfulness techniques, life skills, and social-emotional activities.
Yoga Gives Back
This best yoga charity gives back to the very community that created yoga and sent it all around the world, the people of India!
For the last 15 years, Yoga Gives Back and its 150 ambassadors across the world have created funds to directly help people in India.
Their website says, ” There are many charity organizations within the yoga community, but there is none […] giving back to India, especially to support the serious challenges of poverty and related social issues.”
Some examples of Give Back Yoga’s program include giving 550 micro-loans to Indian mothers, providing 1400 children with care and education, and awarding 400 kids with a 5-year scholarship program.
They have created several other programs which include relief from the covid pandemic, providing women with higher education, and offering access to menstruation materials. Read more about their impactful projects here.
How To Find The Best Yoga Charity Near You
The non-profits listed above are some of the largest yoga charities out there. But there are plenty of smaller, niche charities. Some non-profits only operate in their city or state.
There might be an epic non-profit that’s making an impact right in your own community! And to be fair, these smaller non-profits are the ones that might need funding the most.
To find a local non-profit near you, choose a yoga-related topic that’s dear to your heart and start searching.
Try “homeless yoga non-profit [your city.]” Other topics could include yoga for children, mental health, veterans or PTSD yoga, cancer and dying yoga, prison yoga, mentality disabled yoga, and more.
You can also use large non-profit directories like Guidestar and Charity Navigator to find non-profits in your area plus reviews and more.
How To Vet A Charitable Organization Before Donating
Vetting a non-profit organization before making a donation is a responsible and important step to ensure your contribution is used effectively and goes toward a cause you support. Here are some steps and considerations for vetting a non-profit organization:
Check Their Mission and Goals
Review the organization’s mission statement and goals to ensure they align with your values and interests. Make sure you understand what they aim to achieve.
Verify Their Legal Status
Confirm that the organization is a registered non-profit or charitable organization with the appropriate government agency. In the United States, this typically involves checking their tax-exempt status with the IRS.
Research Their Programs and Impact
Investigate the organization’s programs and initiatives. Look for evidence of their impact, such as success stories, reports, and data on the results of their work. Transparency in reporting is a positive sign.
Financial Transparency
Review the organization’s financial statements and annual reports. Look for information about how they allocate funds, including the percentage of donations that goes directly to programs versus administrative and fundraising costs.
Use Charity Rating Websites
Websites like Charity Navigator, GuideStar, and BBB Wise Giving Alliance provide detailed information and ratings for non-profit organizations. They assess financial health, transparency, and accountability.
Ask for Financial Documentation
Don’t hesitate to ask the organization for financial documents, such as their latest audited financial statements and IRS Form 990. Reputable organizations should be willing to provide these upon request.
Contact the Organization
Reach out to the organization with any questions or concerns you may have. A responsive and transparent organization should be willing to address your inquiries.
Check for Complaints or Controversies
Search for news articles, reviews, or complaints related to the organization. Be cautious if you find a pattern of controversies, legal issues, or ethical concerns.
Assess Their Governance and Leadership
Research the organization’s leadership and board of directors. Look for experienced and qualified individuals who are actively involved in overseeing the organization’s operations.
Donor Privacy and Communication
Review the organization’s donor privacy policy to understand how they handle your personal information. Also, assess their communication practices. Legitimate non-profits typically do not engage in aggressive or deceptive fundraising tactics.
Check for Local Impact (if relevant)
If you’re interested in supporting a local non-profit, consider visiting their offices, attending events, or talking to people in your community who may have experience with the organization.
Evaluate Administrative Costs
While administrative costs are a necessary part of running any organization, a significant portion of your donation should ideally go toward the cause itself. Assess what percentage of donations is allocated to administration and fundraising.
Verify Tax Deductibility
Ensure that your donation to the non-profit is tax-deductible, especially if you plan to claim it as a deduction on your tax return.
Consider Recurring Donations and Impact Over Time
Assess whether you want to make a one-time donation or set up recurring contributions. Recurring donations can provide consistent support for an organization’s long-term goals.
Trust Your Instincts
Ultimately, trust your instincts. If something doesn’t feel right or if the organization lacks transparency, it may be best to consider alternative organizations that align better with your values and priorities.
Vetting a non-profit organization may take some time, but it’s an essential step to ensure your donation is used effectively to make a positive impact on the cause you care about.
Also, make sure to check out their social media pages to make sure they are active. and always feel free to call or email the company to see how your dollars will be put to work, it is your money after all.
Create Your Own “Karma Class” In Your Community
Instead of donating to other charities, you can create positive effects in your very own community with a Karma Class or volunteer class.
A Karma Class is a free or donation-based class for your community, which means that people in need will be able to attend. Any funds collected can be donated to a charity of choice.
Make sure to let your participants know what cause they will be helping. And provide mats if you can.
You can also reach out to your local senior center, homeless shelter, prison, juvenile center, hospital, or school to offer a free weekly or monthly class.
Another way to help is to donate a yoga mat to any of the above non-profits. Here is another company that collects used mats and sends them to non-profits in need: Bolder Mat Company.
You have the power to help people by offering your yoga and meditation skills, or by donating to a quality charity. It’s been scientifically proven that giving makes us happier.
There are plenty of options, share your story about charitable giving below.
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