MILFORD — Local yoga instructor Donnalee Shain is turning her passion for wellness into an effort to help save children suffering from severe malnutrition around the world.
Shain is organizing a series of “Yoga Feeds” fundraising classes throughout August in Milford and Holliston. All proceeds will benefit Edesia Nutrition, a Rhode Island-based nonprofit manufacturer of ready-to-use therapeutic foods, including Plumpy’Nut, which is distributed to children facing acute malnutrition.
“I’m tired of hearing people complaining and not doing something about it,” Shain said during an interview on The Zone with Andrew McCarthy on MyFM 101.3. “I thought, what can I do to make a difference?”
Shain has taught yoga for approximately seven years and previously worked as a physical therapist. She said those experiences allow her to modify exercises based on each participant’s age, mobility and comfort level.
The classes will include gentle-flow yoga, beginner yoga, chair yoga and a toddler session for children accompanied by an adult. Shain said the offerings are intended to be welcoming to people with a wide range of experience and physical abilities.
Chair yoga modifies traditional movements for people who may not be comfortable standing for extended periods or getting down onto the floor. Participants can complete breathing exercises, stretches and yoga movements while seated.
“You can do yoga from a chair,” Shain said. “It’s really a nice class for a person that is afraid of getting down onto the floor.”
Each class costs $20, and an anonymous donor has agreed to match all money raised through registrations. Shain said 100% of the proceeds will go to Edesia Nutrition to support the production and distribution of Plumpy’Nut.
According to Shain, the product is administered several times each day for six to eight weeks and has a 92% success rate for children facing life-threatening starvation. It can also be provided at home after a caregiver receives instructions, allowing children to remain with their families instead of spending the entire treatment period in a clinic.
Edesia supplies its therapeutic foods to humanitarian organizations already working in countries experiencing hunger crises, including UNICEF, Save the Children and World Vision.
Shain said the fundraiser gives local residents an opportunity to care for their own physical and mental health while making an impact far beyond their community.
“It’s a win-win,” she said. “You’re taking care of yourself through the yoga class, but you’re also helping a child.”
The Yoga Feeds schedule includes:
- Thursday, Aug. 13, from 7 to 8 p.m. — Gentle-flow yoga at The Gym in Milford
- Tuesday, Aug. 18, from 5 to 6 p.m. — Beginner or chair yoga at Temple Beth Torah in Holliston
- Tuesday, Aug. 18, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. — Yoga class at Temple Beth Torah
- Friday, Aug. 21, from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. — Flow yoga at The Gym in Milford
- Monday, Aug. 24, from 10 to 11 a.m. — Toddler yoga at Fatima Shrine in Holliston
- Tuesday, Aug. 25, from 5 to 6 p.m. — Beginner yoga at Fatima Shrine
- Tuesday, Aug. 25, from 7 to 8 p.m. — Flow yoga at Fatima Shrine
Participants do not need to be members of The Gym to attend the Milford classes, although they will be required to sign a waiver.
Registration is available by emailing [email protected]. Payments may be made by cash, check or Venmo. Those unable to attend a class may also donate directly to Edesia Nutrition.
Shain hopes the fundraiser inspires participants to recognize that even a small action can create meaningful change.
“It’s a pebble in the water, and it causes a ripple effect,” she said. “It doesn’t take a lot to make a difference in someone else’s life.”
For the full interview with Donnalee Shain, click here: https://soundcloud.com/myfm1013/the-zone-donnalee-shain-from?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
