Grateful Yoga is happy to support local organizations serving our community.
Silent Auction Donations
We are glad to support local non-profits by donating class cards for silent auctions.
Chicago Volunteer Doulas- providing doula care to all families regardless of income.
- YWCA Evanston
- Empowering Women, Eliminating Racism.
- Family Network/Family Focus
- A center for children and parents in Highland Park
- The Talking Farm of Evanston
- The farm with something to say!
- The Make-a-Wish Foundation of Chicago
- The premier wish-granting organization for children in need.
- Reading in Motion
- Providing educational resources and support for literacy in Chicago schools.
- American Civil Liberties Union of Chicago
- Defending our rights, even the one's we don't know we have.
- DuPage Children’s Museum
- An interactive learning center for children, founded by Nick's amazing grandmother Louise Beem.
- Baker Demonstration School of Evanston
- Progressive education, pre-K through 8th grades.
- Unity Nursery School
- A not-for-profit, non-sectarian preschool that has served Evanston and the surrounding communities for more than 50 years.
Karma Yoga Donations
On occasion, we designate a local charity to receive the proceeds of one of our classes. Additional donations are always accepted!
- Rape Victim Advocates
- Providing crisis counseling and legal advocacy to victims of sexual violence. Raised $317.
- Legal Assistance Fund of Metro Chicago
- Providing legal assistance to low-income Chicago residents. Raised $214.
- Tibet Girls' School
- Sponsoring a girls' school in rural Tibet started by Nancy Floy and Asang of Evanston's Heartwood Center.
- Women & Cancer Program
- Providing holistic services to low income women with cancer in the Chicago area through the Heartwood Center of Evanston.
Local Businesses We Love
- North Shore Assoc in OB/GYN.
- Looking for an OBGYN or Certified Nurse Midwife? North Shore Associates in Gynecology and Obstetrics (NSAGO) has extensive experience and the largest private Midwifery practice on the North Shore.
- In Fine Fettle
- Lori Howell is an exquisite Chinese medicine practitioner in south Evanston.
- Chiropractic First
- Dr. Meggie Smith's gentle approach has helped many clients.
- Becky Paulin-Liston
- Our favorite Physical Therapist at the Heartwood Center.
- The Heartwood Center
- Where Grateful Yoga first took root in 2005, a health care collaborative that just keeps getting more and more amazing.
- Beth McNeill
- Our go-to bodyworker with decades of experiences finessing the fascia of Chicagolanders.
Rice Child and Family Center
Lela and Nick helped establish a therapeutic yoga program at the Rice Center, from 2009-2012. Each week, the 45 kids in residential care received two yoga classes a week taught by Lela, Nick, Mira Binzen and Katia Mazuy. They completed their teaching in early 2013 when Rice hired a full-time yoga teacher on staff, thus making yoga a permanent part of the therapy program.
The 8-15 year olds in residence at Rice in South Evanston are some of the most severely abused and neglected kids in the state of Illinois. They are wonderful people who need mentors and community support. That is why we are proud to give our time and energy to the programs at Rice, and encourage you to do the same.
Lela became engaged in developing health and wellness programs for Rice staff and residents. She organized the building of an on-site garden and gathered volunteers for weekly cooking classes, which continue today. Read articles about the yoga program and the Veg Ed initiative.
The Rice Center provides numerous opportunities for Grateful Yoga’s students to be involved. This is the practice of karma yoga, or selfless service, which can be given in the form of donations, resources, volunteer time or helping with event and program publicity.
Let us know if you would like to become more involved as a volunteer or board member. You can make a donation to Rice through the Rice website.
