Community Partner Spotlight: Yoga Gardens NFP
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Indigo Monae
Founder
Yoga Gardens NFP
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Mission
Yoga Gardens NFP uplifts and empowers underserved communities by providing safe spaces for self- realization through yoga, meditation, nutrition, mental health support, and LGBTIQA+ resources. We alleviate stress due to trauma and disease in areas where these difficulties are most prevalent.
Founder
Indigo began her yogic path in 2007, training in many forms of Meditation and Yoga. She is E-RYT 500-hour certified, lives a yogic lifestyle and has taught since 2010. Following the Ashtanga lineage, Indigo studies with Kino McGregor, Tim Feldmann, and inspires to be authorized by Sharath Jois. Believing in balancing the mind with the body, Indigo has completed multiple meditations courses and studies many forms of mindfulness practices. She’s the founder of a local organization, Yoga Gardens NFP, teaching mindfulness practices, food health and life skills to at-risk youth and adults in Chicago.
Services Offered
Mindfulness Program, Yoga Program, Nutrition Program and Gardening Program
Current Projects
Yoga Gardens is currently working on acquiring a non-permanent geo-dome that is designed to withstand high winds and colder temperatures. Allowing 20-30 students per class to relieve stress, and trauma during the colder seasons, giving us the space to continue our mission of creating safe space for self-realization. Acquiring a dome will allow our first yoga teacher training to 2-4 disadvantaged individuals within our programming per year. Individuals will be eligible worldwide to teach mindfulness/yoga, upon completion of the class.
Organizational impact to the community
Yoga Gardens has been serving the Garfield Park area since 2010 and received our 501 c(3) status in 2012 . We have worked with many underserved community members in this area, aiding with self-development, physical health, mental health, emotional health, and more. In addition; we have been featured in the Chicago Tribune. Please see the story by Erin Hooley from Chicago Tribune, filmed at Yoga Gardens NFP.
Funding Sources
Our main funding comes from Beach Yoga Chicago which is a proud branch of Yoga Gardens. Individuals all over the city join yoga classes on Montrose Beach paying market prices and part of the proceeds are donated to Yoga Gardens community for events, day trips, etc. We also have a few loyal donors who provide coverage to help us maintain our website and administrative costs.
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