LEMONADE is a yoga program working with San Francisco’s incarcerated youth. We go to San Francisco’s Juvenile Hall weekly and teach yoga through the in house schools physical education program. We have recently expanded our program to work with all of the units (groups of youth). There are currently 5 units open. Sandy Till leads this program in coordination and with overwhelming support from faculty staff and a dedicated handful of assistants.

LEMONADE created an extension of its offering for the youth coming out of the Hall in 2011, working in conjunction with Youth Guidance Center Improvement Committe’s Job Readiness Training. We provide a weekly Yoga/Reflective Thought and Wellness Day curriculum serving our youth on probation.

Our story began in 2009 when Sandy began teaching a weekly class in the Hall for the volunteer experience. By 2010 we added 2 more Units and began looking for funding as we created Yoga for Youth. In 2010 Yoga for Youth was awarded a $5000 grant from Yoga Dana Foundation, which helped tremendously in bringing in volunteer teachers and growing our work with YGCIC. In 2011 Lemonade was awarded funding by GGS Foundation, which will be instrumental in supporting our next year. We want to offer paid teaching positions and are seeking funding to support that.

Our mission is to provide a consistent program for our cities most at risk youth to experience and be introduced to the many benefits of a yoga practice. This program is based in the Forrest Yoga tradition. Sandy offers thanks to Ana every week for her courage in creating such a compassionate and effective way to work with anyone, and especially these youth.