Yogis Heart Makes Yoga Practice Possible for Young Adults

Just one week since its official launch, Yogis Heart is already on its way to opening the door to young people who want to experience the health and wellness benefits of a consistent yoga practice.

Based in Ridgewood and founded by Englewood resident Trella Dolgin, Yogis Heart is a non-profit volunteer organization that raises funds for scholarships awarded to area residents between the ages of 15 to 25 who want to practice yoga regularly but do not have the financial means to do so.

The group held its official kick-off last Friday at the Nieman Marcus rotunda which brought together teachers, studio owners and health and wellness professionals from all over the area. Through donations and the sale of the T-shirts, the organization will fund the cost of a one-year yoga practice at the studio of the recipients choice.

Kelly Corcoran, co-founder, says Yogis Heart has already raised enough funds for about 6 scholarships. There is no exact number for how many scholarships they can award each year but it will be determined by how much many is raised, said Corcoran.

She herself knows how challenging it can be for young people to be able to afford a consistent practice.

Knowing that it takes some time for one to really reap the benefits of the excercise, Yogis Heart is funding the scholarships for a full year. Recipients can be either a high school or college student or hold a full-time job to be eligible and must practice yoga at least two times a week.

At the launch event at Nieman Marcus, Dolgin told the audience of what inspired her to start Yogis Heart. “The pressures on youth and young adults is more than has ever existed before. At Yogis heart, we plan to change the way that these individuals experience the stresses of life, one yoga scholarship at a time. And in turn inspire their own micro communities to live more conscious lives," she said. 

"My goal is to offer young adults an experience that will lift them beyond so that they don’t have to deal in the same way I did," said Dolgin.

Yogis Heart is currrently accepting applications. Applicants are chosen by a Yogis Heart Board.  Yogis Heart is the second yoga nonprofit in New Jersey and the only yoga-related nonprofit that offers yearly unlimited scholarships.

Visit Yogisheart.org for more information and to fill out an application.

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