STATE COLLEGE —Community members are invited to drop by the Downtown State College Farmers Market every Tuesday and Friday for “Yo-Market,” a healthy eating and movement initiative where they can participate in an outdoor yoga class and receive coupons on market goods .
Yo-Market was made possible by a micro-funding grant through CentreSOUP, a program developed by New Leaf Initiative. Inspired by a similar program in Detroit, the staff at New Leaf saw CentreSOUP as a way to support small, but impactful, community projects.
“We are really excited to support Yo-Market through this grant program,” said Stacey Budd, membership coordinator of New Leaf initiative. “It is our goal to always be on the lookout for ideas that could benefit our community and to turn those ideas into actions.”
CentreSOUP is made possible with support from the Centre Foundation through the Knight Donor Advised Fund. At CentreSOUP, community members pitch their idea to gathered attendees who then offer votes toward their favorite projects. The pitch with the most votes is awarded the grant.
Yo-Market’s creator, Elle Morgan, is a certified yoga instructor. She will instruct the yoga classes outdoors in a location near the farmers market. The 30-minute yoga class is open to anyone, including children, first-timers and people with physical challenges.
“Everyone can benefit from yoga. Once I truly saw the relationship between healthy eating and exercise, I was able to lose 60 pounds, lower my blood pressure by 40 points and ‘cure’ my knee pain,” said Morgan, who conceived of the idea of Yo-Market as a way of promoting a healthy lifestyle in the Centre region.
Morgan also is owner/operator of the Elements of New Life Scripts, an artistic modality that assists individuals, businesses, educational outlets and social service organizations to achieve more through wellness, using the art of theater to initiate positive change.
Tickets for Yo-Market are $5. Those who wish to attend can sign up online at www.newlifescripts.com. On the scheduled yoga day, show the online confirmation at the yoga class and receive the coupon to take to the market.
Coupons are valid at participating market stands and are for $2 off goods from those specific stands. Receive a free yoga mat spray from Tony Russo, of Nittany Valley Organics, with your Yo-Market purchase.
“Yo-market is part of a regional initiative to have a healthier community. We join Centred Outdoors to offer something fun, healthy and exciting to do with the whole family this summer,” said Morgan.
Yo-Market is the second grand CentreSOUP grant winner. The Be Bag project was the first grant winner.
“The Be Bag project is currently providing support to children staying at both the Centre County Women’s Resource Center’s battered women’s shelter and Housing Transitions,” said Siri Newman, coordinator of the project. “When children arrive at either location they are greeted with a personal tote bag that includes a blanket, several books, a stuffed animal, journal, pillowcase, coloring books and coloring pencils/crayons and other small age-appropriate toys.”
For more information on CentreSOUP, contact Stacey Budd at (301) 401-3699.
