Since June 2019, YWCA Cambridge has offered free summer yoga classes to members of our community. This opportunity is funded by a Cambridge in Motion mini grant awarded to projects that engage their community in healthy lifestyles.
This project actually started last year at Tanner Residence, our affordable housing for women. Funding allowed us to provide our residents with monthly yoga and healthy eating classes. Residents enjoyed the experience so much that we thought it made sense to open up this opportunity to the community at large.
One of the goals of this project is to break down the financial barriers that often exist around programs focused on health and active living. For many people, paying for a gym membership or yoga classes simply is not in the budget. YWCA Cambridge believes in breaking down these financial barriers to give everyone an equal opportunity to thrive. The free yoga classes are an example of how we carry out that belief. It is important that in every community there are opportunities like this one that give people the chance to get active and try new things, at no cost.
The class is held every other Wednesday at noon and taught by the wonderful Malika Ms. Bonafide. Participants enjoy a one hour class that is geared towards beginners and those looking for a middle of the day respite. One participant said, “Summer yoga at the YW is the perfect escape and release for the middle of the day. The instructor is inspirational and invites us into our best practice. I always leave feeling refreshed and renewed. Thanks for offering this wonderful experience!”. Getting to participate in and observe the class myself has been a wonderful experience, and it has been a joy seeing women in our community partaking in the class together.
By: Kate Fulton-John
YWCA Administrative Intern, Forest Foundation
YWCA Cambridge is On A Mission 