The Holidays are upon us and there’s no better way of making it feel like Christmas than to give back. I’ve decided to gather friends and family to take part in a special project that aims to share the real joy of Christmas to those who are not as fortunate as we are. I am very sure I am not alone in saying that we’ve received so much this year and now is the perfect time to pass on the blessings. THE MANILA TRAFFIC MADE ME DO IT I’d like to think the traffic situation in our country also does a bit of good when you’re not trying to catch an appointment. The good side of the bad traffic is it sort of forces you to sit quietly alone for some time. It’s like a mini time-out which most of us don’t realize, is something we all need these days. Maybe, just maybe, the traffic in our country is the universe’s way of telling us to SLOW DOWN. So there I was stuck in traffic on a main road in Quezon City when I saw a family who lived in a kariton pass by. The mom and dad pushed, as two young girls sat inside with all their stuff. The family’s pet dog was on a leash, walking with their parents. These are the homeless people of Manila. They are the ones who most probably don’t benefit from the many outreach programs organized by either the government or any private group. They will be spending this festive season in their kariton, celebrating with what little they have. When I started talking to people about this project, a lot asked why I don’t target one area and go from house to house to donate. Don’t get me wrong, I think that’s a good idea and a practical way to do it. But it’s so good and practical that most groups take that route. Those who barely have anything (not even a house), end up scouting for food on the streets, so why not reach out to them this time? NOCHE BUENA WITH THE HOMELESS I gathered friends and family to partner with The Bulan siblings, founders of The Noche Buena Project. While the rest of the group focuses on giving out gift baskets to different areas including Tacloban and Samar, the NBP Manila team’s goal is to prepare and deliver cooked Noche Buena to at least 50 homeless families on Christmas Eve.
SANTA’S LITTLE ELVES A toy drive is also part of the project. Waking up to a lot of presents under a Christmas tree is not something many children are lucky enough to experience. Just the idea of receiving a gift and having to tear the wrapper off to reveal what’s inside makes a world of difference to any child. Remember how that felt for you when you were younger? That’s the feeling that we’re going for. It doesn’t matter whether or not the toys are expensive, brand new or fancy. All that matters is we get to share that feeling of genuine happiness to children who need it most. PETS GET TO CELEBRATE NOCHE BUENA TOO A small part of the pledges will be allocated to home-cooked food suitable for cats and dogs. We believe the family is not limited to its human members and everyone deserves a feast on Christmas Eve. For homeless families with pets, we’ll make sure there’s enough food to fill their bellies too. We’re stopping to feed the strays. Nobody gets left behind.
PITCHING IN If you’d like to take part in this project, please pledge! We’d love to have you help out. Sponsoring a family only costs Php500. Another thing we would like to ask for is a personal message from you which we will be sending to the family you will be sponsoring. It’s not just about the food or the toys but about letting them know that they are loved. The FREE Yoga Classes below are scheduled to serve as drop-off points for pledges and toy donations. Don’t get me wrong, the classes are free for you, your friends and family. Come to any of the classes to share this beautiful practice whether or not you will be donating for the cause. 
Let’s make the Holidays brighter for more people this year. Treat a family to Noche Buena or play Santa to a few kids on the streets. One small act of kindness in exchange for so much gratitude sounds like a good deal, right? Remember that it only takes one tiny spark to light up a whole room. Happy Holidays, everyone. 🙂 If you’d like to pledge without attending a class or just want to know more about the project, please get in touch with me through my mobile number or email: +63998 5537922/ nki.torres@gmail.com The Beyond Yoga BHS Studio is located at the 3F of the C2 Building, Bonifacio High Street Central, 7th Ave Bonifacio Global City, Taguig The Beyond Yoga QC Studio is located at 3F of Il Terrazzo, Tomas Morato, Quezon City. Featured Image is from picphotos.net
What a great initiative! This might just get me into yoga. haha
Thank you and I do hope so! There’s no harm in trying plus you get so many benefits from the practice. 🙂