ABOUT
OG YOGA
Through diversity-informed yoga, we empower all people to become their own greatest healer.
Did you know that in the United States there are over 37 million Americans practicing yoga? Looking at the demographics of those practicing, it is encouraging to see that diversity is growing, but yoga in its mainstream format is still highly unattainable to the populations who likely need it the most.
At OG Yoga we aim to change that!
Our Mission
At OG Yoga our mission is “Transforming lives holistically through the physical and mindfulness aspects of Yoga so that vulnerable members of our community reclaim their bodies and minds from the trauma of their past and thrive.”
OG Yoga teaches participants to focus their attention, calm their minds, reduce stress and think before reacting – tools necessary to live in today’s fast-paced world. We help people become active participants in the health and wellness of their schools and communities and be empowered to lead healthy, happy and productive lives.
Our Vision
Create a universal understanding of how yoga can be a particularly effective tool for trauma survivors on their long and complex path to recovery.
Our Model
OG Yoga sends Yoga Alliance® certified instructors with at least 200 hours of trauma-informed teaching experience out to need-based communities for youth, seniors and adults facing homelessness, poverty, abuse, addiction, PTSD, incarceration and/or reentry. To fund these endeavors, we offer the OG Yoga Studio and Yoga Teacher Training, which provides yoga and mindfulness classes to the public at an affordable price. We also rely on sponsorships and donations from generous people like you.
Meet OG Yoga’s Founder
OG Yoga was founded by JoAnn Jaffe in 2015 to provide the many healing benefits of the 5,000 year-old science and art of yoga to San Diego’s most vulnerable communities.
OG Yoga has worked with over 50 organizations across San Diego County to deliver our services to 6,000+ individuals through over 10,000+ class visits.
OG Yoga is a non-profit project fiscally sponsored by Mission Edge (Tax ID#27-2938491). OG Yoga chose to be fiscally sponsored to keep its overhead low and ensure that 90% of its resources go directly to its programs for at-risk populations. OG Yoga’s annual operating budget must be raised each and every year. OG Yoga’s annual operating budget must be raised each and every year.
OUR TEAM
OG Yoga Instructors
Leadership
JoAnn Jaffe
Founder/Project Director, MBA
JoAnn came from the corporate financial banking sector before making her way into the nonprofit world as Development Director for Second Chance and School Advancement Director for the San Diego Jewish Academy. JoAnn is a registered E-500RYT yoga teacher with advanced training in best practices and accessible yoga for youth, disabled, the criminal justice system, the juvenile justice system, veterans, and seniors. JoAnn is also adjunct faculty at the Pacific College of Health and Science where she teaches Yoga for Specialty Communities in the college’s two-year AAS Yoga Teacher program.
Brock Roser
Operations Director, E-500RYT
Brock has trained with greats like Leslie Kaminoff and Gary Kraftsow and specializes in gentle yoga, with a focus on mindfulness and intentional breathing. Brock also brought his audio engineering skills and computer knowledge to support OG Yoga as we pivoted to a hybrid of virtual and live classes in the pandemic. Brock truly practices conscious relationship with OG Yoga communities of all ages, genders, ethnicities, and abilities.
Steph Bode
Marketing & Communications Manager/Yoga Instructor
Steph’s personal yoga journey began around 2010, initially as a supplemental form of exercise but quickly evolving into a lifestyle. Yoga has since become an important factor in the growth and maintenance of her mental, physical, and emotional health. In 2017, seeking deeper knowledge of yoga history and practice, Steph completed her 200-hour teacher training in Costa Rica through Zenspot Institute and has been teaching throughout the United States ever since.
Melanie Dellas
Grant Writer
Melanie has been a writer and historical researcher for over 30 years. She earned her BA in Professional Writing from Purdue University, her MA in History at USD, and her MS in Forensic Science at National University. As a former magazine writer, editor, and publisher, Melanie has won awards for Best Publication, has been published in the San Diego Business Journal’s list of Top 50 Women Business Owners, and has been named a Woman of Vision in San Diego by Modern Luxury magazine. Melanie is excited to serve those in need by being a part of the OG Yoga team.