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The Yoga Freedom Project is an initiative to raise awareness and funding to put an end to sex trafficking! Off The Mat NYC is partnering up with the Somaly Mam Foundation to create a global yoga movement in January 2012 to raise awareness and funds. As most of you know, Somaly Mam is a sex trafficking survivor who has dedicated her life to saving victims and empowering survivors of sex trafficking. Money raised during this month will go back to the Somaly Mam Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to the eradication of sex trafficking and modern-day slavery and the empowerment of its survivors. SMF supports victim services, empowerment programs such as job skills and education, and advocacy and awareness campaigns. This month-long initiative will be a global awareness campaign. We are looking for leaders in all regions of the country/world to organize events and classes in their area, promote the fundraising campaign and be the voice for this important cause and campaign around the world! This is a opportunity to make a real impact through the yoga community. In New York, OTMNYC will be reaching out to yoga studios to jump onboard with donation-based classes, awareness campaigns, book clubs, and more. We are also encouraging individual yogis to raise money for the cause on their own through the Crowdrise site. The month will end with a huge 108 Sun Salutation Yoga-thon Event on January 31st in NYC. So far Elena Brower, Dana Flynn, Jodie Rufty, Cyndi Lee, Alan Finger and Tara Stiles are participating in our event! We hope either a similar format will be followed in other areas of the world or each area will find their own unique way to raise awareness and funds for this important cause. This promises to be an inspiring month where we see just how powerful, loving, and strong our global yoga community can be! Two steps will get you started. Step One : ‘Join the Team’ of Yoga Freedom Project on Crowdrise.com. This will connect you to the global community of studio owners, yogis and teachers, and will allow you to collect donations for Somaly Mam Foundation. Follow this link to make your account. Step Two : Choose how you want to take action from the options below.
Five Ways to take action with Yoga Freedom Project : 1. Host donation-based classes throughout the month, with proceeds going to the Somaly Mam Foundation. This could be an ongoing class or a one-time event: it’s up to you! You can use your Crowdrise page to collect donations or to make a lump donation from the studio. Alternately, if you collect cash at your event, you can write a check with the donation proceeds to The Somaly Mam Foundation. We will give you stories of survivors you can read in class as well as provide you with some information and statistics demonstrating the critical and widespread nature of this issue.
2. Sell beautiful jewelry made by survivors of trafficking in Cambodia. Items available from SMF’s Empowerment Store include gorgeous silk necklaces (below left) and the Akun “thank you” bracelets (right).
Place an order by emailing us via this link, and include item and quantity. You can sell these at your studio boutique with %100 of the proceeds going to the Somaly Mam Foundation, and toward the support of victim services, empowerment programs, and eradication of modern-day slavery.
3. Sell Somaly Mam’s inspiring memoir, Road of Lost Innocence. A portion of the proceeds benefit the Somaly Mam Foundation, and toward the support of victim services, empowerment programs, and eradication of modern-day slavery. We also encourage readers to Pass It On once they’ve read the story, raising awareness in their own networks of friends and family. Contact Off the Mat NYC via this link for books.
4. Set up a donation box at your studio’s front desk. We can supply a box to you if you need one. At the end of the month you will submit a check or online payment for the amount you have collected. Contact Off the Mat NYC for more information.
5. If you are located in or near New York City, hang posters. Posters will be available for download soon, and they’ll have important information about the campaign and the big 108 Sun Salutation Yogathon on January 31st! Check the FUTURES page in a week or so for downloads.
The top three fundraisers who show the most passion for the cause will have the opportunity to teach at the culminating Yogathon event on January 31st, alongside superstar teachers like Elena Brower, Dana Flynn and Alan Finger. This is a huge honor! For all of these action items, and for any questions or concerns, email offthematnyc@gmail.com (subject: Yoga Freedom Project). We look forward to uniting with you for the important cause! Namaste, Heather Snyder |
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tags:
projectfreedom, SomalyMamFoundation, sacredspacestudio, omtimesmagazine, humanityhealing, creatingchange, bethelight, yoga, uniteourvoice, stophumantrafficking, co-create,
