After the pandemic caused direct services to be placed on hold for more than a year, Transformation Yoga Project (TYP) has announced that it will conclude programming and donate 100% of its financial reserves to organizations that will further its mission.

Over the past seven years, the Philadelphia-based nonprofit became a nationally recognized model for providing access to yoga in communities impacted by trauma, addiction and incarceration.

Founded in 2013, TYP offered trauma-sensitive, mindfulness-based yoga programs and education throughout the region, expanding to more than 65 partner locations in Pennsylvania and Delaware, with class attendance growing to 24,000 annually. TYP's outreach focused on a wide range of justice, recovery and youth communities, including the Phoenix and Chester State Correctional Institutions in Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia Office of Addiction Services, Crozier Medical Center, the Kirkbride Center for Behavioral Health, Baylor Women's Correctional Institute in Delaware, the Montgomery County Youth Center, Philadelphia Juvenile Justice Center and several area elementary and middle schools.

TYP will continue to work to support and staff existing programs that have restarted in recent months, but will not take on any new programs, according to board president Nicole Anderson.

TYP is accepting funding requests and reviewing applications. Decisions will be made on a rolling basis through mid-2022. Awards will be directed to organizations demonstrating exceptional commitment to and expertise with trauma-sensitive yoga training and practice; an emphasis on programming that brings yoga to persons who are incarcerated, and ideally a continuation of the 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training program; community investment in the Philadelphia region and interest in building upon TYP programming with partner institutions that reopen; and an opportunity for TYP instructors and team members to participate in trainings and programs.

TYP will prioritize organizations established and led by persons of color and persons re-entering their communities after incarceration.

For a funding application, to learn more about TYP and to read the board's full announcement, visit http://www.transformationyogaproject.org.