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DONATE VIA PAYPAL
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Voted Top-Rated Nonprofit for the 5th Year in a Row
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2018 Empowering Youth Campaign
Join us in supporting at-risk children ages 5-18 in developing "more confidence, emotional stability, a peaceful attitude and a healthy lifestyle" through the Sean O'Shea Foundation's groundbreaking in-school yoga & nutrition programs
The Foundation is named after Sean O’Shea, a much loved and young yoga teacher and studio owner who lost his life in a fatal freeway accident in December of 2006. In his memory, his family and friends established the Sean O’Shea Foundation, which empowers youth through yoga, nutrition education, mindfulness, and optimistic teachings. Our mission is to help youth, ages 5-18, develop life skills that can enable them to take responsibility for their lives, develop respect for themselves and others, and have confidence in their own potential.
Sean O'Shea was an advocate for social justice, equal rights and passionate about teaching yoga, patience, and acceptance for all. He believed in empowering children through these practices so that they may find mindful ways to cope with the challenges and stresses within their lives. Today, we honor Sean’s good life by continuing his vision of teaching the youth in our community’s yoga, nutrition, respect for earth, respect for themselves and others, and to have confidence in their greatest potential. The Sean O’Shea Foundation’s 2017 Fundraising Campaign is focused on Empowering Youth in our communities through the offering of yoga and nutrition classes to schools throughout Southern California. We primarily focus on youth who live in economically disadvantaged areas, who often lack basic health care, have limited exposure to the benefits of nutrition, and are normally unfamiliar with the practice of yoga. Thanks to local support from our community, and friends throughout the country, for the past eight years, we have ensured that all of our students have been able to participate in our programs free of charge.
Exciting Research Findings: “Our recent research is showing a restoration of confidence, emotional stability, low anxiety levels, and peaceful attitude as a result of the Sean O'Shea Foundation programs. When we look only at the post scores of the high school aged children, the improvement was so significant for each factor analyzed that the numbers were astonishing.”
Our Programs
Through thoughtful collaboration with health professionals, school psychologists, yoga instructors, and school teachers, we have developed these successful programs:
From $15 to $2000 we THANK YOU in advance for joining in the movement to empower our local youth!
Our Growing Collective Impact
Words From Those We Support
"Since I started practicing yoga... "When I was in language arts class I was able to get 100% on my test for concentrating and focusing." - Kaleb
"Yoga has helped me stay more focused and I get better grades in science." - Kyle
"My favorite part of the program was "how the purpose wasn't to stretch your body but become flexible and knowledgeable about other aspects of life. I believe yoga helped me create a balance between my physical strength, mental strength and my environment." - Brandey
"The Sean O'Shea foundation is great! They introduced me to yoga in a positive way, and I want to continue practicing with them as long as I can." - Katie F.
“I am writing this letter to give thanks for the amazing Yoga and Nutrition program you provided our students. The teachers were knowledgeable, intuitive, flexible and sensitive to the kids’ needs. Our program is unique in that it deals with kids with serious behavioral issues and the designation of Emotional Disturbance on their IEPs. Most of them come from very troubled backgrounds, and don’t have a lot of family or community support. The kids excitedly anticipated the yoga class each Monday, and several other students who were not registered begged to be involved. I heard from program staff they also thoroughly enjoyed participating in the program and reaped benefits such as weight loss, better nutrition choices, and a passion to continue a yoga practice. All in all, I had high expectations for the Sean O’Shea Foundation, and those expectations were exceeded. The kids are also still talking about how the yoga program has influenced their lives, and how they too are able to practice on their own to invite relaxation and stress relief. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for offering this life-changing experience to our kids.” - Natasha Pantti-Dulberg, MFT, Mental Health Case Worker, New Dawn Day Rehab High School, San Diego
The Foundation is named after Sean O’Shea, a much loved and young yoga teacher and studio owner who lost his life in a fatal freeway accident in December of 2006. In his memory, his family and friends established the Sean O’Shea Foundation, which empowers youth through yoga, nutrition education, mindfulness, and optimistic teachings. Our mission is to help youth, ages 5-18, develop life skills that can enable them to take responsibility for their lives, develop respect for themselves and others, and have confidence in their own potential.
Sean O'Shea was an advocate for social justice, equal rights and passionate about teaching yoga, patience, and acceptance for all. He believed in empowering children through these practices so that they may find mindful ways to cope with the challenges and stresses within their lives. Today, we honor Sean’s good life by continuing his vision of teaching the youth in our community’s yoga, nutrition, respect for earth, respect for themselves and others, and to have confidence in their greatest potential. The Sean O’Shea Foundation’s 2017 Fundraising Campaign is focused on Empowering Youth in our communities through the offering of yoga and nutrition classes to schools throughout Southern California. We primarily focus on youth who live in economically disadvantaged areas, who often lack basic health care, have limited exposure to the benefits of nutrition, and are normally unfamiliar with the practice of yoga. Thanks to local support from our community, and friends throughout the country, for the past eight years, we have ensured that all of our students have been able to participate in our programs free of charge.
Exciting Research Findings: “Our recent research is showing a restoration of confidence, emotional stability, low anxiety levels, and peaceful attitude as a result of the Sean O'Shea Foundation programs. When we look only at the post scores of the high school aged children, the improvement was so significant for each factor analyzed that the numbers were astonishing.”
Our Programs
Through thoughtful collaboration with health professionals, school psychologists, yoga instructors, and school teachers, we have developed these successful programs:
- CALM Kids Training for school faculty administrators, nurses, school psychologists, PE teachers, and counselors. CALM Kids is Chair-based Activity for Learning Mindfulness
- Seven-week introduction programs for yoga and nutrition program for students ages 5-18
- Year-round yoga and nutrition programs for interested schools with a high percentage of at-risk students
- Year-round yoga for juvenile court-mandated students
- Programs for pregnant teens and teen parents committed to continuing their education
- Yoga and meditation for kids with cancer and for their families at Rady’s Children’s Hospital
- Yoga programs for the Medical Behavior Unit at Rady’s Children’s Hospital for teens with eating disorders
- Yoga and nutrition for athletes
- In addition, SOSF provides financial support for local non-profits supporting food project for youth
From $15 to $2000 we THANK YOU in advance for joining in the movement to empower our local youth!
- $15 - Provides a yoga mat for one child
- $30 - Sponsors one child for a full semester of yoga and nutrition classes.
- $75 - Sponsorship of one yoga and nutrition class for 20-35 students.
- $150 - Provides a beginners garden kit for a school garden or a Gardening 101 lesson for 20-35 students.
- $300 - Sponsors yoga & nutrition lessons for parents at participating schools for a semester.
- $300 - Provides 100 homeless students & their families a nutritious dinner.
- $7500 – Provides an entire school faculty our CAL M Kids Training and includes year round coaching.
- $1500 - Sponsors an entire class of 20-35 students through a full semester of yoga and nutrition classes including all yoga supplies, nutrition presentations by a dietician, snacks, food demos, handouts and all other yoga supplies.
- $3000 - Sponsors an entire class of 20-35 students through a full YEAR of yoga and nutrition classes including all supplies, certified yoga teacher, certified dietician, all snacks and food demos, and take home handouts.
Our Growing Collective Impact
- 20,000+ children (and growing!) have found more peace, less stress, higher confidence, increased empathy, improved grades and well being via the Sean O'Shea Foundation programs thanks to our many supporters.
- Known rival gang members all practicing yoga and lying in resting pose together… peacefully.
- A probation officer witnessing students on his caseloads improve their grades with skills taught in the Sean O'Shea Foundation Yoga and nutrition program.
- School psychologists requesting the Sean O'Shea Foundation program to help their at-risk youth develop greater focus and confidence.
- Thousands of students learning to cope with their daily challenges and stressful life situations through yoga and meditation.
- Young cancer patients learning to decrease their pain and anxiety through breath and meditation as they battle their life threatening disease.
- Local homeless teens having a welcoming place to go to for a hot meal.
Words From Those We Support
"Since I started practicing yoga... "When I was in language arts class I was able to get 100% on my test for concentrating and focusing." - Kaleb
"Yoga has helped me stay more focused and I get better grades in science." - Kyle
"My favorite part of the program was "how the purpose wasn't to stretch your body but become flexible and knowledgeable about other aspects of life. I believe yoga helped me create a balance between my physical strength, mental strength and my environment." - Brandey
"The Sean O'Shea foundation is great! They introduced me to yoga in a positive way, and I want to continue practicing with them as long as I can." - Katie F.
“I am writing this letter to give thanks for the amazing Yoga and Nutrition program you provided our students. The teachers were knowledgeable, intuitive, flexible and sensitive to the kids’ needs. Our program is unique in that it deals with kids with serious behavioral issues and the designation of Emotional Disturbance on their IEPs. Most of them come from very troubled backgrounds, and don’t have a lot of family or community support. The kids excitedly anticipated the yoga class each Monday, and several other students who were not registered begged to be involved. I heard from program staff they also thoroughly enjoyed participating in the program and reaped benefits such as weight loss, better nutrition choices, and a passion to continue a yoga practice. All in all, I had high expectations for the Sean O’Shea Foundation, and those expectations were exceeded. The kids are also still talking about how the yoga program has influenced their lives, and how they too are able to practice on their own to invite relaxation and stress relief. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for offering this life-changing experience to our kids.” - Natasha Pantti-Dulberg, MFT, Mental Health Case Worker, New Dawn Day Rehab High School, San Diego