JOYFUL YOGA & FRIENDS

Introducing our non-profit organization, Joyful Yoga & Friends (27-3670282) which is created to bring awareness and funds to local causes that affect our community.  Our #1 concern is the plight of young girls in Southwest Florida who are aging out of the foster care system. This is something that we hold dear to our hearts as we had adopted a young girl many years ago in this same situation. She continues to be a wonderful asset to our family.

We were recently introduced to a local organization -- Footsteps to the Future, founded by Judy Woods -- that has been a driving force to change the lives of “at risk” girls on a local level.

“Footsteps to the Future is committed to providing former foster care youth with the opportunities essential for self-sufficiency and a healthy, productive lifestyle, by providing them with a safe place to live, access to education, employment readiness and opportunities, life skills training and mentoring,” says Judy Woods. “Failing to support this group through the difficult transition of leaving foster care often results in enormous cost in terms of wasted lives, disrupted communities and the taxpayer burden of delinquency, homelessness and incarceration.”

Joyful Yoga & Friends plans to not only assist in raising awareness and funds for this cause, but provide these young girls with self-esteem, job readiness and mentorship all through the power of yoga and meditation. We want to guide these at-risk teens to better handle the difficult challenges they face and be able to channel their energy and emotion in a productive and positive way.

So, as you are planning your year–end tax deductible contributions, please consider our fund, Joyful Yoga & Friends, to further Judy’s good work and to provide these young girls with the knowledge and tools that they need to navigate through life.