Giving Is Receiving

This year make giving a priority. Whether it’s time, money, or things; anything can make a difference for someone in need. The changes in our economy, society, climate, politics, and education are being felt immediately and intensely. With all of the hustle and bustle of the holidays, we can easily find ourselves turning inward to our immediate friends and family in our holiday chores, we forget about the true meaning of giving. There is always so much going on, our stress levels begin to rise, we end up throwing the importance of giving out the window. Following a few organizations that I have been involved in that are doing amazing things for people in need including the people helping the people in need. Reinforce this domino effect and give what you can, to whomever you can. Life is a constant karmic cycle of giving and receiving so stay with the flow and it will make the world a better place. 

Organic Soup Kitchen – Cancer Recovery, Santa Barbara, CA

This time of year is the perfect opportunity to give back and I can assure you there’s nothing that will warm your heart and soul more than being able to help those who are in need. Cancer doesn’t stop for the holiday season. The Organic Soup Kitchen in Santa Barbara provides food to cancer patients in Santa Barbara County. Anthony and his wife Drea began this incredible organization 12 years ago. They deliver organic, nutrition-based soups for cancer patients. There are very specific conditions that occur with cancer patients. Swallowing whole foods is not an option. Conventional foods include ingredients that do not contribute the healing. It is vital that it’s soft enough to digest, high nutritional value, and certified organic. On a recent lunch trip to visit the kitchen operation in Downtown Santa Barbara with the Newcomers Club; we were treated to a gourmet lunch of soups, salad, and delicious bread. The Organic Soup Kitchen takes giving it one step further by giving to the caregivers as well. They see the caring fatigue these people experience and have partnered with local wellness businesses to provide yoga, meditation and other healing modalities to care for the caregivers. Find out more about the Organic Soup Kitchen and how to give to this amazing organization. If you contribute at least $250 they will dedicate a tile in their kitchen for your donation. 

Yoga & Adventures Worldwide – Gives Global #GIVESGLOBAL2019

Who doesn’t want to chill out in an exotic beach-y locale around the world AND give back? As part of their 10 Year Anniversary Celebration, owner, Christina Thomas kicked off a program of giving back on a global level with her teacher partners and Y&AWW tribe. Annually they produce a global event where we embrace our local and international communities by offering donation-based yoga classes and other fun events like tarot readings, happy hours, and pop-up shops. Proceeds will go to the local and global non-profit of our leader’s election. These non-profits are selected based on women's and children’s advocacy. The events are fun, unique and seek to advance the health and well being of women and children worldwide. We hosted 14 events in 6 countries in 2018 from Australia to Mexico and Argentina to Spain and donated over $4,000usd. 

This years’ Gives Global week starts this Saturday, December 7-14, 2019. During our Gives Global Week 2019 we will be hosting donation-based yoga classes, sound healings, and workshops lead by our incredible teachers. This giving program includes a matching gift donation; they are donating $50usd per retreat sold during the week towards the charity of our clients’ choice. So if you need that yoga retreat getaway, do it guilt-free and support a local international non-profit. A full list of the charities to select from can be found on the Yoga & Adventures Worldwide website. 

It is SO easy to help people that are less fortunate and give back to your community … and I promise it will feel so much better than watching a loved one unwrap another present that they probably didn’t “need”. It doesn’t need to be about how many gifts are under the tree and how much money you’ve spent on someone it’s about giving with the intention of helping others. Together we all benefit. 

Organic Soup Kitchen provides oncology nutrition and addresses food insecurity to a diverse demographic of individuals struggling with the effects of cancer and chronic illnesses.

Donations greater of $250 will earn a tile in the Organic Soup Kitchen wall.

Christina Thomas, founder of Yoga & Adventures Worldwide Gives Global Program