30-Day Yoga Challenge raises R130,000 for Cape Town foster homes

Award-winning Cape Town child care NGO Home from Home along with the Yogaway Yoga & Pilates Studio in Newlands are pleased to announce that their 30-Day Yoga Challenge that ran throughout August has raised R130,000 for the running of a foster home in Cape Town’s Westlake area. The Yoga Challenge exceeded all expectations thanks to the participation of over 50 yoga enthusiasts and generous assistance from the public.

Home From Home takes care of more than 170 children in 26 homes across greater Cape Town through a cluster foster care scheme whereby groups of up to six children are taken into supervised foster care in their own communities and are raised like children in family homes, rather than institutions.

"We are very grateful for the wonderful support we have received from our participants this year," says Pippa Shaper, Development Director of Home from Home. "We have raised in excess of R130 000, which far exceeds our original target of R100 000. The proceeds will go towards the running costs and maintenance of one of our 26 homes that cares for a foster family of six children in the Cape Town suburb of Westlake, as well as to the establishment of a new foster home soon to be built in that community."

During the month of August, Shaper and 50 participants raised funds for the home by participating in a sponsored 30-Day Yoga Challenge at three participating studios around Cape Town, including the YogaWay Yoga and Pilates Studio in Newlands, Sunset Beach Yoga Studios in Milnerton and Virgin Active in Claremont. Each participant had to raise funds for their involvement in the Challenge and many were supported by friends, colleagues and members of the community. Each participant signed up to practice yoga for the first 30 days of August, as well as committing to raise as much money as possible for Home from Home. A target of R3 000 per participant was set.

Ceri Hannan, Head of Programme Development and Innovations for Virgin Active South Africa, was thrilled to be part of the 2012 Yoga Challenge. "This initiative created such a sense of community for our members and it is wonderful to know that the sum raised will be used to significantly improve the lives of children in our communities. We look forward to working with Home from Home in the future to bring the Yoga Challenge to a wider group of people and so make an even greater impact."

Melissa Brake, owner of the YogaWay Yoga and Pilates Studio in Newlands, has partnered with Home From Home since the launch of the Challenge in 2011 and has been central to its success. Brake says this year’s Challenge surpassed all expectations. "From the amount of money we raised, to the individual effort of every participant, and the special feeling of working together – all of it was beyond anything I had imagined. I am extremely grateful to all the wonderful students and teachers for their dedication and generosity. We plan to further develop a podcast for next year’s Challenge, so that participants who cannot make each and every single practice can still complete their sessions from home. This will encourage more yoga enthusiasts to get involved."

To celebrate the end of the Challenge, a final practice session was held at the Vineyard Hotel & Spa’s Splash Café on the 26th of August for all participants and was led by Yvonne De Kock from the Sunset Beach Studio. During the final session, the dedication and contribution of each participant to the Challenge was acknowledged and honoured.

Home from Home was very grateful for the support from the local media, bloggers and members of the community who helped it reach and surpass its fundraising target. Shaper reports that the participants thoroughly enjoyed the Challenge and each of them took to raising their fundraising amount through their own means: some used Home from Home’s online giving platform, some collected cash donations from friends and family by hand and others held events at their homes in order to raise the funds.

Shaper said the Challenge has become a popular annual event, growing from 30 participants in 2011 to 50 in 2012. "In addition to our local yogis, we have interest from individuals and yoga studios in the UK, the USA and Asia who have heard about our Challenge and want to join us in our efforts next year. We are also talking to local studios in South Africa who want to do the same, to help us create happy, safe homes for children who need love, protection and a stable home environment."

To find out how to get involved next year, please see www.homefromhome.org.za

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