When Aimee O’Gara pursued her lifelong dream of opening a yoga studio in South Philly, she decided her work wasn’t done.
The Point Breeze resident wanted to make a difference in the local community, so she almost immediately started holding fundraising classes in her new space, Liberty Yoga at 1648 S. 16th St. in the Newbold neighborhood.
The Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society, Wiliam Way LGBT Community Center and the American Cancer Society were all beneficiaries of Liberty Yoga’s generous offerings in the early months after the studio opened in February..
“We’re still very new but we’ve been doing these monthly fundraisers to raise money for different organizations,” O’Gara said. “A good majority of them are local. We did PAWS in July and William Way LGBT Community Center in June for Pride Month. This one is for Philabundance. A big part of yoga is acts of service and if what I do here, one class a month, can help somebody in some way, shape or form, it makes it all worth it.”
On Sept. 16, O’Gara welcomed a group of exercise enthusiasts into the studio that raised enough money to fund 282 meals for Philabundance, the South Philly-based nonprofit that works with more than 300 community partners to distribute food throughout nine counties in Southeastern Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey.
The method was simple: anyone who registers is welcome to take part in a free one-hour yoga class at Liberty Yoga. Guests make their voluntary donations and a few days later, 100 percent of the proceeds are delivered to the featured organization.
Each month is a different beneficiary, but the goal of helping a local or national cause remains the same.
“It can be personal but we take suggestions,” O’Gara said. “I think we’ll be doing one with the South Philly Community Fridge program in November before Thanksgiving, which was a recommendation from one of our members. It’s wherever I feel called to support.”
O’Gara said October will likely help victims form the Hawaiian Island Kaua’i, who were hit with a devastating hurricane in early September.
“We just try to help out where we can,” O’Gara said. “It’s one hour of our month for us. It’s the least we can do.”
Helping others is in tune with the overall initiatives of Liberty Yoga. O’Gara converted the dormant former daycare building into a different kind of community-based organization. Guests say they feel welcomed and have formed strong bonds through classes.
“Aimee is one of the best business owners I’ve ever met,” said member Kate Clark. “She’s so receptive to people’s ideas and thoughts and she follows through with them. This is where I’ve landed and I’m so happy. It’s like a home. We all know each other. It’s a great community.”
O’Gara began teaching yoga in 2016 after completing her 200-hour teacher training at American Yoga in Deerfield Beach, Florida. Last year, she completed an additional 300-hour training from World Peace Yoga School in Bali, Indonesia. She loves paying her knowledge and craft forward.
“I love the community and helping people physically and mentally and giving them a third space to get away from their devices and technology,” O’Gara said. “It’s also a practice that has helped me in so many ways so it feels really good to be able to share it.”
The studio offers a variety of package deals, monthly unlimited memberships or drop-ins and it also hosts member appreciation nights once a month. O’Gara instructs some of the classes but also brings in several other highly sought after teachers like Daniel Cordua and Sara Knapp.
“People will come from far away for them,” O’Gara said.
The studio, the environment and the community also have a lot to do with attracting new members, and keeping loyal customers coming back each week.
“The first thing that comes to mind is the vibe, the feeling of it,” Clark said. “The brightness of the room and the plants all make you so calm when you enter here. Every single person I’ve met has been so excited to say, ‘Hello,’ back. It’s a really positive environment.”
O’Gara just enjoys using her new space for the community.
“Community is huge for me,” she said. “Especially being in a big city, it’s nice to have a place where you can connect with like-minded people.” ••
