HISTORY

Mindfulness Connection was established in 2023 by a group of passionate and committed individuals who sought to secure the funding necessary to empower individuals and communities to discover the positive impact the practices of yoga can have on health outcomes.

Inspired by the World Health Organization and the National Institutes of Health’s recent statistics on a global anxiety epidemic and the impact of a global pandemic, Wendy Cook pointed out the urgent need for an organization to develop evidence-based yoga programs aimed at community level sustainability. The idea was then shared with Meghann Matthews and Jazman Bryan, who enthusiastically took up the challenge.

Cook was motivated in part by individuals, healthcare organizations, and civic led communities seeking economically sound solutions for the monumental increase in anxiety, depression, and health problems. She felt that a new fundraising strategy would help support corporate, nonprofit, and government organizations carry out their physical and mental healthcare initiatives, as well as provide equitable access to mindfulness-based classes and workshops for individuals.

While MC is a newly launched nonprofit, it has over two decades of social justice roots through Cook’s experiences as an executive project director and international mindfulness-based yoga teacher trainer, Matthew’s experiences as a special education teacher, and Bryant’s experiences as a doula. All of our founders are certified mindfulness-based yoga teachers who lead donation, fee based, and free classes in their local communities and through streaming classes.

Cook, the two additional founders, and approximately 9 individuals hammered out the details of the new organization over a series of months. They are enthusiastic to share trauma-informed, mindfulness-based yoga programs that can be developed to meet the cultural norms of any and all races, ages, and gender identities.