Yoga Aid San Francisco

Yoga Aid in partnership with Yoga Tree SF presents the first annual San Francisco Yoga Aid Challenge taking place in Justin Herman Plaza on September 19th at 11am. Up to 500 yogis will be doing yoga together in joy and generosity. Yoga aid is bringing the San Francisco community together to initiate change locally and create change globally. The Yoga Aid challenge hopes to inspire hundreds of yogis in San Francisco and thousands of yogis across the world to GIVE.

Yoga Aid is an Australian-based company that sets up large scale yoga classes around the world to raise money for Yoga charities. Yoga Aid has raised over $600,000 worldwide through a web-based fundraising model. This is Yoga Aid’s first year in San Francisco. The actual event is free but students are encouraged to fundraise much like a sponsoring a runner in a marathon to maximize contributions for the Challenge. Yoga Aid is unique as it funds the actual event up front, so every dollar raised goes directly to charity. Yoga students wishing to participate can register at www.YogaAid.com/USA

Yoga Tree SF is San Francisco’s premier yoga center with five locations featuring the best yoga instructors, committed to green practices, offering a wide variety of yoga styles and classes, a credited teacher training program, yoga workshops, yoga retreats and bodywork. Yoga Aid is just one of many charities that Yoga Tree SF contributes to and raises awareness and money to support. For more information, visit www.YogaTreeSF.com

Six of the 13 teachers volunteering their time are from Yoga Tree SF. The remaining teachers are from other San Francisco studios including Yoga To The People, Yoga Kula, Aha Yoga, Bay Club SF, The Yoga Loft, Laughing Lotus, Satori Yoga Studio and Bernal Yoga.

Teachers participating are Tara Dale (co-founder of Yoga Tree SF), Jason Crandell, Stephanie Snyder, Kerri Kelly, Les Leventhal, Darren Main, Sianna Sherman, Zander Gladish, Debbie Steingesser Sherri Baptiste, Jason Nemer, Jenny Sauer-Klein and Jasmine Tarkeshi with live music from the Kirtaniyas.

When students sign up, they can choose one of the following charities: Off the Mat Into the World, Yoga For Youth, Africa Yoga Project or For One World.

Off the Mat Into the World uses the power of yoga to inspire conscious, sustainable activism and to ignite grassroots social change.

Y.O.G.A. For Youth brings Yoga and Meditation to urban youth in schools, community facilities, detention centers and jails in order to enrich their lives and assist them in effectively meeting life’s challenges.

Africa Yoga Project uses three fundamental aspects of yoga to create lasting change in African communities: Unity, Possibility and Non-Violence.

For One World provides educational aid to disadvantaged children in Africa.


“It is a really beautiful thing when people can use their passion to serve others.” Kasey Luber, Producer of Yoga Aid at Justin Herman Plaza and American Yoga Aid Ambassador. Kasey can be reached for interviews at kasey@yogaaid.com or (323) 606-3719.