Agency Details:

Niroga Institute is a nonprofit organization that seeks to foster health and well-being through the practice of yoga for at-risk and underserved individuals, families and communities by outreach, education and research.

Description:
Niroga Institute brings Transformative Life Skills (TLS), a multi-modality intervention including yoga, breathing techniques and meditation, to vulnerable populations such as cancer survivors, seniors and people battling addiction, as well as children and youth who are abused or neglected, homeless, delinquent or incarcerated. Niroga teachers bring TLS to those who need it most, teaching 100 classes/week and reaching over 2,000 people every week in the Bay Area, in schools and alternative schools, juvenile halls, homeless shelters, cancer hospitals and rehab centers. Independent researchers from UC Berkeley and Kaiser Permanente Division of Research have shown that TLS reduces stress and increases self-control. Niroga's programs are widely viewed as a front-line prevention and early intervention strategy for violence reduction, education and mental health.

History:
Niroga was founded as a non-profit in March 2005 by Bidyut K Bose, PhD, a computer scientist and engineer and lifelong student of yoga, who now serves as Niroga's executive director. Niroga has grown steadily each year and now serves more than 2,000 students a week in public schools, alternative schools, juvenile court placements and other community settings.

Niroga's work with young people, in particular, and the results they have obtained in both academic and juvenile justice settings, has won the support and attention of leaders in health, education and public safety, as well as funders like The California Endowment, The San Francisco Foundation, Bay Area Black United Fund, and Alameda County Probation and Health Care Agencies.

Niroga relies on the support of those who share its vision of a more healthy and peaceful society and welcomes donations of time and talent to help them fulfill their mission and raise public awareness about their timely and impactful work.

Contact people:

Cynthia Carpathios, Operations Manager, (phone), (email) Bidyut Bose, Executive Director, (phone), (email)

Address:

111 Fairmount Ave Oakland, CA 94611 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.niroga.org

Directions:

This office is at Fairmount Ave and 29th St in Oakland.   Nearest Bus Stop: AC Transit 51, 5 minute walk

Miscellaneous Information

Besides English, which languages are spoken at your agency?
	No others
What is the minimum age for volunteers at your agency?
	15
Is your agency wheelchair accessible?
	No
Does your agency have the capacity to host groups of more than 10?
	Yes
Does your agency have the capacity to host groups of more than 20?
	Yes

Last updated on February 17, 2010