Why I choose to support Guided by Humanity
A message from Bonnie Chan, owner of Botree Massage Therapy:
The pandemic seems like another lifetime ago, but it was only a couple years ago that the world re-opened. My brother is a special needs adult in his late 30s. During the pandemic, my brother was able to participate in adaptive yoga and virtual dance classes to help stave off boredom. The classes prevented daily meltdowns and gave us both the endurance and resilience to make it through the pandemic in good mental and physical health. My brother loves his yoga and Pilates mat workouts with me, and I was thrilled to find that there is a Denver non-profit dedicated to offering yoga and wellness class to people living with disability.
Guided By Humanity is a local non-profit dedicated to providing inclusive and equitable yoga and wellness services for people living with disabilities, seen and unseen. Guided By Humanity was established in 2017 with an anti-oppression lens, founded by a disability advocate that witnessed many health disparities amongst folks with disabilities, particularly for individuals with Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities.
Help me raise $500 this October for Guided By Humanity by booking a massage today! Giving back has never been easier—just let a back massage take care of the heavy lifting for you!
What kind of yoga classes does GBH offer?
- All Abilities Yoga - This class is geared toward students experiencing neurodiversity.
- Yoga for everyBODY - This class allows all experiences and abilities to practice together in a supportive, inclusive community.
- Yoga for the Special Child - Classes are gentle and therapeutic for babies and children with developmental disabilities.
- Seated and Accessible Yoga poses
- Yoga for Amputees
- Learn more about GBH: https://guidedbyhumanity.org/why-yoga/
$17 supports one yoga class for one individual.
Why do I support Special Olympics?
A message from Bonnie Chan, owner of Botree Massage Therapy:
My brother is a special needs adult in his late 30s. I think many people are familiar with the support systems in place for children with special needs, but after graduation, it can be challenging for individuals with special needs to find social outlets and activities that cater to their specific abilities and interests. Imagine not being able to go to school or work everyday and interacting with people with similar interests. Special Olympics helps fill that gap by providing a platform for individuals like my brother to showcase his talents, develop his skills, and connect with peers in a supportive and inclusive environment.
Special Olympics encourages athletes to build friendships, develop leadership skills, and gain self-confidence through participation in sports. The organization also offers various programs and initiatives to support the overall well-being and development of individuals with intellectual disabilities.
My brother is a Special Olympics athlete and Special Olympics has brought joy and community into his life. My brother is a special needs adult, but he also loves bowling, plays a mean game of golf, is an avid football fan, shoots hoops, and he's funny, insightful, and laughs loudly at silly things. To show my gratitude, I support Special Olympics Colorado!
Help me raise $1000 this summer for Special Olympics Colorado by booking a massage today!
Your contribution directly benefits nearly 20,000 athletes
Why I choose to support New Paradigm Dance Theater
A message from Bonnie Chan, owner of Botree Massage Therapy:
The pandemic seems like another lifetime ago, but it was only a few years ago that the world re-opened. My brother is a special needs adult in his late 30s. During the pandemic, my brother was able to participate in adaptive yoga and virtual dance classes to help stave off boredom. The classes prevented daily meltdowns and gave us both the endurance and resilience to make it through the pandemic in good mental and physical health. My brother loves his yoga and Pilates mat workouts with me, and I was thrilled to find that there is a Denver non-profit dedicated to offering dance classes and performance opportunities to people living with disability. I choose to donate to NPDT because they run a dance company called EMPOWER (an adaptive company for teens and young adults) as well as a youth company (ages 12-22) and an adult company (18+).
“New Paradigm Dance Theater (NPDT), founded in 2023 in Westminster, CO, is dedicated to nurturing creative artists of the future. We provide an artistic environment where dancers can be vulnerable and break assumptions on their journey to artistry…We’ll also partner with local schools to offer arts-integrated programming, after-school classes, and scholarships through our sister organization, Colorado Movement Lab.”
What are adaptive sports?
Adaptive sports are recreational or competitive sports modified to allow individuals with disabilities to participate. These modifications can involve changes to rules, equipment, or playing environments to accommodate various physical, cognitive, or sensory impairments. Essentially, adaptive sports aim to create inclusive and accessible sporting experiences.
Click the logo to donate online.