Yogis Heart Awards First Yoga Scholarship

Just one month after its kick-off event, Yogis Heart, the new non-profit group which strives to provide scholarships to those who want to practice yoga but do not have the financial means, has awarded its very first scholarship to a Cliffside Park man.

The Yogis Heart board, which includes founders Trella Dolgin and Kelly Corcoran, joined the staff of Lululemon Athletics which donated its charitable funds  for the year to Yogis Heart to enable the organization to award this scholarship.

The team sprung a surprise scholarship presentation on Carlos Olivares early last month inviting him to the Lululemon store at Garden State Plaza for a meeting for scholarship finalists, says Corcoran. Little did he know he had already been chosen as the recipient and would be surprised with a sign in the store's dressing room that read "You have been chosen to receive the very first Yogis Heart scholarship."

The 21-year old says yoga has always been a great outlet for him first discovering it in the 7th grade during an afterschool program. Years later as an adult it's been a challenge to practice yoga at the studio near his home due to his work schedule, college classes and not being afford to take classes regularly. He had started taking classes on a free trial and later had an opportunity to   work at the studio in exchange for classes but found he was still unable to fit it into his schedule.

Now thanks to Yogis Heart scholarship he can afford to practice yoga whenever it works for his schedule.

"Once I found out I received the scholarship I couldn't believe my ears," he writes on the Yogis Heart online blog. "I didn't have to worry about my expenses at Soul in Motion and could finally expand of yoga and meditation to better myself and the people I love. I could be completely free and secure at the studio I've grown accustomed to love. I now have a brighter and stronger future in front of me and this is only just the beginning."

Yogis Heart works to fund scholarships for a full year as it takes time for one to get the full benefits of a consistent practice. Scholarships are awarded to those 15 to 25 who wish to practice yoga regularly.