The Art of Yoga Project

Grateful to experience the Art of Yoga Project ! The Project -- of the highest caliber, beyond what I have experienced in over 25 years within the field of Public Health….assessing, developing, implementing and evaluating Health Education Programs … The staff -- talented, capable, and sincerely heartfelt - - Beyond measure has been the magic .... within my 2-4 hrs/wk interactions with these amazing young ladies over the last two years ...... Thank you!

We have supported this organization for many years! They are top-notch and do wonderful work in our community with at-risk, incarcerated and exploited teen girls.

I am so happy to support this organization. The work they are doing with incarcerated, at-risk and exploited teen girls is innovative. They are experienced in gender- responsive programming that continually show results.

Great work by a great group of people. It's amazing the difference one caring adult makes in a child's life. It changes the course of their life forever.

Wow i don't know were to start but i am so amazed and thankful for The Art Of Yoga Project because it has change my whole life around in many ways. First of all i was in juvenile hall when i was 14 years old i was doing bad things didn't know what was going to happen to me because nobody thought me any better than my street friends that i called "family". i got arrested and got booked in the facility the only time when we were let out was to do Yoga. At first i didn't know or understood why we were doing this exercises and art works which meant a lot of things at the end. I would draw signals with certain colors and designs that expressed how i felt inside that nobody will see because i was so shut down inside and hurt. Yoga brought me peace and i notice i was becoming more positive. i learned how to breath at rough times to calmed me down and make the right decisions. I think if it wasn't for the Art of yoga project i wold still be caught up in the criminal system still but thankfully i am 24 years old now going to school majoring in Criminal Justice and Social work my life its great and its getting greater and greater thanks to Yoga i enjoy the exercises meditating i am able to express how i feel now in words rather than keeping them inside. i am glad out of my teens years when i was in juvenile hall, i got to feel who i was for the first time by doing yoga with the instructors. i am not shy anymore i am a strong beautiful women who is blessed by this non profit i hope it expands even more to help girls like me to be successfully in life and see things differently to what they are used to. i truly believe that yoga has change my life enormously. I know that there are people out there that need this in their life to make them become a better person and help them to achieve goals they thought they were never going to. Thank You all.

I've now been connected with this amazing organization for 7 years. In this time, we've grown from a small program in one site, to a thriving organization in three counties. What amazes me most about this growth is it has not come at cost of value or integrity. Every girl that we serve gets the same passionate energy as when we first began. AYP is always looking to learn from the girls and the service community that we collaborate with. There is a humbleness amongst the teachers and the staff--never assuming that we have all of the right answers. We look to learn, and in the process of learning, we grow stronger. I hope to always remain a part of this amazing community. I hope to see the strong growth continue, expanding to serve more girls with the same passion and integrity.

The Art of Yoga Project continues to expand upon and improve the services they bring to young women with each passing year. I have worked with The Art of Yoga Project for about five years now, and it is a great privilege to collaborate with this group of unbelievably dedicated and inspirational women. The mission of bringing self-respect and empowerment to teen girls through yoga and art is simple and focused, which means it is done extremely well. What amazes me most is the commitment to continued growth and learning. We are encouraged to attend trainings regularly, to debrief, process and problem solve as a team... and to dream big for the future. I have not yet come across another organization with the same standards and reach as AYP - they are truly wonderful.

I had the privilege of attending one of the classes in the Institution. It was amazing to see the demeanor of the girls before and after a teaching session with an AYP instructor. Pre-class, the girls were reserved, shoulders raised high from stress or tension. Their energy was low. The AYP instructors did a fantastic job of helping the girls to open up, share feelings and journal. I was able to share a wondeful yoga session with the girls. They left the meeting room more upbeat, connected and less stressed. AYP is an amazing organization with wonderful people. This organization is really making a difference.

This is an amazing organization that supports incarcerated juvenile girls to become stronger and better.

The Art of Yoga Project has an amazing staff of teachers and art experts who are dedicated to the girls. I am so proud of the staff; their compassion, creativity, sense of self and strong boundaries not only allows them to deliver a strong program, but it also provides the girls with excellent role models. It is powerful to see this interaction and to witness the relationships and growth that occurs within this beautiful system. Our teachers are a steady, positive light in the lives of these incarcerated youth. As a Site Director, I have tremendous gratitude for AYP teachers. I am also very proud of the training that these teachers receive and feel confident that we are providing the girls with the best of the best (they deserve it!)

AYP does great and meaningful work in Bay Area communities. Not only is the work personally satisfying, but AYP is a great place to work. Everyone is so well trained and knowledgeable and brings something unique to the team.

I am filled with gratitude for being a part of such an amazing organization. The Art of Yoga Project's mission of empowering young women is an incredible agent of change in a world in which one of our biggest moral challenges is lifting young women up and ending violence against women and girls. I have had the great pleasure of working with AYP since 2006, first as a yoga teacher and now also as aftercare site director. I am always inspired by the dedicated and wise women that I get to work with. And when it comes to the young women we serve I am always blown away but never surprised by their insight, strength and potential. Thank you Art of Yoga Project for existing in the world and for letting me be a part of this great work!

I have been serving on The Art of Yoga board for a number of years and prior to my board position I worked as a site director for the Santa Clara facility. I first hand was able to watch lives change of these girls in the juvenile detention centers as a direct result of the program. The yoga, art and writing this population is able to experience brings amazing transformation to their lives. The staff and women involved are extremely dedicated and passionate about their work. I cannot say enough good about this amazing organization.

I've been serving on this board for more than 4 years, and what the passionate staff and volunteers at AYP accomplish: accepting these marginalized teen girls, and then showing them how to improve their lives, from San Francisco to San Jose is extraordinary. It's not easy working in the juvenile justice system--and that's what The Art of Yoga Project does--it helps girls take personal responsibility and gives them a different perspective and a better way to be for themselves, their families, and in their communities. The Art of Yoga Project is literally about saving lives, girl by girl.

The Art of Yoga Project does amazing work with a very underserved group! These teen girls have had so many struggles, abuse, and a shocking lack of support in their young lives. AYP offers tools for a successful and balanced life. The teachers are role models and offer loving support without judgement. They work side by side with the wonderful Juvenile Hall staff to serve these girls!

Great idea and also great execution. It's in a class al by themselves. This group has been doing gender- responsive programming before it was a buzz word. They are the real deal. Kudos.

Great organization. Very well run. Dedicated staff

This organization serves a high-risk, high-need group in a way virtually no other group does -- gender-responsive, small group attention to their most personal needs. AYP sows the seeds for lifetime changes in girls whose lives have started off on the wrong track. California and the country need more organizations like AYP.

It's easy to support this organization. They are successful working with a population of incarcerated and at-risk girls that are largely ignored. They work from their hearts! Society pays an estimated $1.7 million for each youth who drops out of school and becomes involved in a life of crime and drug abuse. The cost of one year of incarceration ~ $190,000 alone! This work just makes good sense.

Not only does this organization help girls in there local community, they also share what they have learned through their training and Affiliate program.

I am beyond blessed to be a part of this amazing organization. I came to know about Art of Yoga through Courtney (thank you!) and began teaching 4.5 years ago . The initial training was invaluable, but it is the ongoing support of my fellow teachers, site director and of Mary Lynn Fitton that holds my heart and allows me to offer my best self to these beautiful girls.

I started work with The Art of Yoga Project as a technical adviser. Since then I've come to know the folks running the organization and working with it. Through my work I have also become familiar with the amazing stories, poetry and successes that the project has with youths in very difficult circumstances. I recommend to anyone that they read some of the blog entries on the website and learn more about the marvelous work that the organization does in the local Bay Area.

The Art of Yoga Project is a very effective program helping incarcerated teen girls heal from physical and lifestyle abuse. It is an outstanding project. We will continue to support it, because of its growing success evident through the girl’s behavioral change.

Don and Virginia Fitton

I fell in love with this organization 7 years ago when I agreed to join the board and have never looked back! It has all the important elements that make an organization effective; an important problem in the community, an effective approach to address the problem, excellent people with a huge heart and commitment to the organization and a lean/effectively run fund raising and administration function. I hope to continue to provide my personal time and financial support for many years to come. Hope you will consider this too!

Having had two "at risk" teenagers, I understand how difficult it can be to connect these young people. The key is to help them help themselves; to let them know they are not being judged, that you care about them and you believe in them. The Art of Yoga Project is perfect example of a well-thought-out plan to give these young teens the self-confidence and the tools they need to face their difficult situations head on. The wonderful yoga instructors teach them how to control their thoughts and actions which in turn leads to improved decision making. The goal is to release responsible young ladies from the juvenile facilities with this new outlook on life that will break the cycle of repeat incarcerations. AYP is an incredible organization with outstanding leaders and volunteers with one goal in mind: to help these young ladies to have happy and productive futures. I would hope this project would be a role model for other facilities!

The Art of Yoga Project is a wonderful, well organized, and beneficial program. I have worked with them for the past year. The girls learn so many lessons through the use of yoga and art. Every week that I work with Art of Yoga, it is often the highlight of my week.

For the past year, I have been fortunate to volunteer as a yoga teacher with The Art of Yoga Project at two of their after-care centers in San Francisco - the Center for Young Women's Development and Mission Girls. The curriculum developed by Mary Lynn Fitton undoubtedly plays an incredibly positive role in the development of these young girls' lives. I have watched girls gain strength and greater mind-body awareness through their yoga practice and have been lucky enough to sit and listen to them share how the tools they've gained through the GEMM (Girls Empowered by Money Mindfulness) program at Mission Girls has taught them how to manage their money and develop a healthier attitude toward what can often be such a sticky subject. Perhaps most importantly, The Art Of Yoga Project would not be affecting the lives of so many at-risk girls were it not for the dedicated and passionate staff and volunteers involved in its growth.

I'm a retired social worker, having worked in Public Child Welfare for 20 years. After retirement I pondered what I should do with my time, and found the Art of Yoga Project and I'm so glad I did.. I've contracted with the Art of Yoga for the past 4 years, facilitating art projects with girls in Juvenile Detention. The Art of Yoga is a wonderful program, as a MSW, I have witnessed many children affected by violence and drugs and these girls fall into that category and the Art of Yoga supplies them with information through Yoga principles, exercise and Art projects that build their self esteem and enhance their sense of self worth, this can aid in decreasing the probability of them repeating the actions that resulted in their detainment. I love working with this program, the yoga teachers are great to work with, as well as the director, they are open to explore ideas and listen to what you have to say..Most importantly the teachers and the administrators care about the girls, their current and future well being, and love what they are doing!! I look forward to continuing my relationship as an art teacher and expanding into their mentorship program.

I have the honor and privilege of teaching with this amazing group of women. I have never met a more dedicated team of individuals who truly care about these at-risk girls. The curriculum designed by Mary Lynn is world class and every time I am with the girls, I feel the vibration of our collective rise. I see how much these girls need to find peace within themselves and when I leave them, its always in a better state than when they arrived. I love this program and I love these girls. They need a nurturing element to their lives and AYP definitely brings it. This program instills peace, confidence and hope in these young girls. Well done to all.

The Art of Yoga Project is an amazing program that offers much needed guidance, love and inspiration to young women in juvenile hall. I started as a volunteer in 2007, teaching yoga classes within the Santa Clara Co. juvenile detention facilities and am now actively involved in managing 2 facilities in San Jose and Morgan Hill. I adore the women involved in The Art of Yoga Project. Loving, kind, capable, giving and an incredibly supportive team. I have seen young women grow and learn a better way of life. We have seen young felons come into the system and leave with a high school diploma and moving onto to universities. This was not a future they had ever envisioned for themselves. The Art of Yoga Project is the dream of an incredible woman- Mary Lynn Fitton, who continues to inspire all of us and help us bring our love of yoga, art and writing and all their benefits to a very under served population.

I have been blessed to teach with the Art of Yoga project for over three years. Every single day has been an inspiration - not just because I am bringing yoga, a practice that has helped me so much, into juvenile detention; not just because every time I have done so, I have walked away inspired and awed by the girls I met there, their strength, the resilience of their hearts; but because in working with AYP I have always felt part of an organization unlike any other: a group of wonderful, caring, inspiring, mindful, compassionate leaders who work hard to empower others. AYP has challenged me to grow.

In January of 2009 I had the incredible privilege of meeting a couple of teenage girls from the bay area program. They attended a benefit class that I taught in Berkeley. Though they were doing yoga amidst a sea of adults, they participated with full enthusiasm and wholeheartedness. What a gift the Art of Yoga Project has been in the lives of these and so many other young women. Recently, I learned that one of the girls I met had been accepted to a University and was moving forward with her life in a positive way. A miracle of love!

This is a wonder organization offering girls numerous ways to find their own internal creativity and grounding. They are tireless in bringing this model to young women in detention throughout the South Bay region. Art of Yoga Project teaches the girls self confidence, ways to develop self love and inner strength and also offers them practical tools such as self care, finding positive ways to allow themselves "time out" from anxiety, pressure and impulsive actions. They are also expanding to give the girls more information and skills around money management and control. Kudos to the whole team, Mary Lynn, the staff and the volunteer collaborators.

Having advised and helped many non profit organizations focused on helping women - this one stands out. The dedication of the team, the mission of the organization and the changes they make in young lives speak for itself.

I am so grateful to be working with this amazing team! We are an organization of women helping teen girls right here in our own communities – Santa Clara, San Mateo and San Francisco counties. I am honored to represent their voices and ask for your help.

These are children. 12-17 years old. The average age is 15. They are incarcerated and yes, they have made poor choices, but the truth is that they are caught in a cycle of victimization. The Center for Gender and Justice reports nationally 70-90% of girls in the system have been sexually abused. What typically happens is a girl is abused at home, she then runs away and on the streets is further victimized with ‘crimes of survival’, involving drugs, gangs, or even prostitution.

So while our mission speaks specifically to developing girls’ accountability, we absolutely need a therapeutic approach. This is called “trauma-informed,” meaning interacting with her in a way that is not harming, but healing and transformative.

I have been affiliated with THe Art of Yoga Project for the last 3 1/2 years. This is an amazing non-profit with so many incredible, dedicated women. I have been fortunate to personally work directly with the teen girls in the juvenile hall with The Art of Yoga Project. The girls in the juvenile hall, love the project. They are so happy to have women come each week who care deeply for them, listen to them, help them see the best in themselves and that they count in this world. It's hard to know if I get more from these girls or give more...... through this project we are able to bring out the best in these girls and see them who they really are not just convicted felons who made poor choices. THe Art of Yoga Project gives them skills to take with them and use in their lives so they can make better choices when they are released from prison.

I love working with teen girls. I see the world in them, no matter who they are, nor what they have done, or where they have come from. I believe with my heart and soul that they can achieve everything and anything they set out to do. I teach them that yoga is a practice that benefits them AND the world, so that they understand that we are together, as a community on this earth, that what we do affects us all. Each time I go in to the juvenile hall I bow down before each young woman. I honor them and speak to their higher self- and they meet me there. I am blessed to be a yogini, blessed to be part of a great organization that cares about every young woman out there. I am grateful for the hard work that all of the volunteers, staff, teachers and leaders do so that the path is paved for me to reach out to these kids. I know it makes a difference, if not in this very moment, then like a seed, planted, to one day blossom.

The Art of Yoga project has taken the concept of mission and vision to a new level of inspired healing. Art of Yoga takes a very creative approach to helping traumatized adolescent girls to heal with a gentle but challenging Yoga practice. Services begin immediately upon incarceration, extending throughout incarceration and after as these young girls return to their families and communities. The services include a wonderful Yoga practice and a committed Mentoring Program. Each girls participating in these services manifests benefit.......

I learned about this organization from an article in Yoga Journal. I contacted them about becoming an Affiliate so I could bring their program to our area. Right now I am working with our local juvenile justice system to design a program for the girls in our area.

The Art of Yoga Project is an absolutely amazing program. The dedication to serving at risk teen girls is pouring out of the hearts of the founder and leaders of this organization. The curriculum is extremely well thought out and executed. I am so proud to work with the powerful women of AYP to pass on the benefits and tools that yoga has to offer, giving young women in a crucial time and place in their lives some peace, clarity and confidence.

I work with troubled high school girls. I became aware of this organization through an article in Yoga Journal (Oct 2009) called Peace on the Inside. I didn't realize that 15% of the youth prison population was made up of girls! It was great to see a gender responsive program in action and learn a bit about their model.

The Art of Yoga Project is an amazing program that helps troubled teen girls. It is comprised of a group of strong and caring women helping incarcerated teen girls. Although these girls have made some poor choices they are caught in a cycle of victimization. The Art of Yoga Project works with them to create a better self image and gives them tools to help change their life. It is very inspiring!

Yoga has made in huge difference in my life so I was happy to help when a friend of mine who works for The Art of Yoga Project asked for assistance with a fundraiser. Through the work, I met a few of the impressive women who were on staff. This left me with an overall good impression and leads me to believe that the organization and their programs are well run.

Most of the girls really appreciated our work with them. The breath work, the meditation, the circle discussions of readings from recovery meditation books, and the yoga nidra - guided relaxation seemed to benefit the girls and I quite enjoyed it. The training and preparation of volunteers was quite sketchy in the beginning.. there is opportunity to make community with the volunteers by giving written or oral guidance for the process of getting security clearance, how and when to meet, how to prepare the room and getting a list of rules for the detention center (no newspapers, cameras, candles / lighters etc.) I always feels bad to make mistake. The connection with the girls who wanted what we were bringing was invigorating and gratifying. I am always grateful for where I have come and am glad to share how I got here.

I have been contributing increasingly more to this group for each of the past three years, and watching them grow as individuals and as an organization. They have an amazing combination of brains, heart and tenacity. ANy one of those is of course precious. But it's hard to imagine another group having the degree of all three that makes The Art of Yoga Project so unique, and indeed successful at their mission.

This is a wonderful non profit, full of talented, amazing women. Every single day you work there, you can tell you are making a difference. I consider the opportunity to serve as a loving, supporting, respectful role model for these young girls as one of the great gifts of my life.

Somewhere between the first check in and the last bow at the end of class, a magical calm sets in over the crowd of teens that I have the honor of teaching at the juvenile center with the Art of Yoga Project. Irregardless of what brings together to that room, we come together to move, try new poses, take risks, and breathe deeply. They say that yoga is a healing practice - and I believe it each time we spend an hour together and every time a participant looks me in the eye and says "Thank you for coming".

As a former mayor of Palo Alto, I became aware of this outstanding project and its early success in Oregon and now the Bay Area. Founder and director Mary Lynn Fitton has the personal dedication and commitment that is so essential to a non-profit. As a trustee of a foundation that has donated to The Art of Yoga, I have continued to be impressed with the quality of their efforts and the responses received from the participants, the court system, and community leaders. This is a winner! Jim Burch Palo Alto

I have mostly helped out behind the scenes, but did spend one yoga session at the GIRLS Camp. I was so moved, I had a goose bumps. The change in the language and body language of the girls was stricking between the beginning of class and the end. The girls were more relaxed, more open, and calmer. The Art of Yoga is changing girls lives for the better.