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Pandemic Challenges Force Nonprofit Living Yoga to Close Doors After 24 Years of Service

Portland, OR. The Living Yoga’s Board of Directors announced the nonprofit will stop providing services as of November 12th. Living Yoga began offering trauma-informed yoga to incarcerated in 1998. An announcement noted, “Due to the ongoing pandemic, we have experienced a sustained period of not being able to deliver in-person classes; therefore, We hope you will join us in celebrating our accomplishments over our 24 years of service to our community.”

The nonprofit closure is one of many in the Portland area. Canceled fundraisers and lost donations have left many struggling to stay afloat.

Prior to the pandemic, Living Yoga volunteers provided 34 weekly trauma-informed classes to 24 partner sites including prisons, substance use disorder treatment, and recovery centers, and community health programs.

In response to COVID-19, Living Yoga pivoted in 2020 to provide virtual services, training, and continuing education for the community. Leaders say, “While we have been able to maintain partnerships with select service sites via a virtual model through our dedicated volunteers, our community impact has been greatly limited. The new delta variant has further exacerbated this situation, and we struggle to reach our most vulnerable students.”

Prior to the pandemic, volunteers served more than 600 students per month. Many students in prison were grateful for the opportunity as seen in the message above.

Here’s a video about the nonprofit:

From Living Yoga:

When Living Yoga began offering trauma-informed yoga to those impacted by incarceration in 1998, there were few yoga studios in Portland, let alone free or accessible offerings for our most in-need community members. At this time, there was minimal mainstream knowledge regarding the impact that body-based practices like yoga could be utilized to support healing and resilience in cases of trauma. Living Yoga has increased access to yoga and body-based practices in our community and has inspired students and organizations alike to incorporate these practices into their own lives and service offerings.

Recognizing that there is an ongoing immense community need, we have made the bittersweet decision to dissolve Living Yoga and share our resources with other nonprofits that can have a greater impact at this critical time. We are actively vetting organizations that will be good stewards of our funds and will provide additional information as we make a final decision.

You can continue to access free, trauma-informed, recorded classes from Living Yoga in The Living Room until the end of 2022.

We want to share our deepest gratitude with you for supporting Living Yoga throughout the past 24 years. Thank you for your commitment to fostering healing and resilience through trauma-informed yoga. We appreciate your continued support as we return to our roots as a working board during this unprecedented time.

Elisa Klein

I’ve been a professional journalist and writer since 1987, (and long-time reporter for KOIN-TV.) As a nationally published reporter, with a Master’s Degree in Journalism, I love to report positive news and information. Journalism has also connected me with another non-profit where I served as a leader; the Northwest’s biggest writer’s organization: The Willamette Writers.