HAPPY NEW YEAR!

“The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” — Pablo Picasso
That’s the thread woven through this week’s episode with my dear friend Jill Weiss Ippolito, founder of UpRising Yoga.
Jill’s story is a full-circle transformation; from an angry, hurting teenager to a joyful healer bringing trauma-informed yoga and life skills to youth in juvenile halls. She found a gift that saved her own life: breath, presence, and the slow return to self. And then she did something extraordinary… she gave that gift away, again and again, to the kids who need it most.
In our conversation, she takes us inside the processing units at juvenile hall: where resistance softens into resilience, where one breath can become a lifeline, and where hope often looks like a simple practice done with love.
Tune in to hear how a $10, ten-day yoga pass became a mission, how community shows up when we “look for the helpers,” and how one person’s gift can change the world.
~Full blog post on charity-matters.com & podcast episode 95 is up now!

Thank you Heidi Johnson for our collaboration and conversation!

​Dear Friends,

Happy New Year 2026—and thank you for being part of our community!
Because of your support, UpRising Yoga brings trauma-informed life skills into juvenile halls and trains others to carry this work forward. Together, we’re creating spaces rooted in healing, activism, compassion, and real change.
At the heart of it all is a belief in love, laughter, and the power of presence to transform lives.
If you’re moved to give, a tax-deductible donation helps sustain and expand this work. I’m deeply grateful you’re here. Drop a note- I'd love to hear from you!
With love,

Jill “So Chill” Weiss Ippolito
Founder/Director, UpRising Yoga