Want some treats?
I’m doing a last minute fundraising effort to support our YogaAid event for The Africa Yoga Project on Sunday! I’ve waxed eloquently about this during the past couple weeks, but basically in a nutshell, we are trying to raise enough money to support six new Kenyan yoga teachers. With the money we raise, we pay to put each new instructor through a Baptiste training program and pay their salaries so that they can continue to spread the love in Kenya.
And to help with some last minute fundraising efforts, I’m holding a spontaneous ELR bake sale!
I’ll be making two batches each of my Elvis Granola, Heath Bar Blondies and Vegan Double Banana Chocolate Chip Breakfast Bars (say that ten times fast).
Bids for each item will begin at $15 and the highest two bidders of each win a batch of the treats. You can email bids to jenna {at} eatliverun.com and all I ask is that if you email me to make a bid and end up winning, please stick to it. 100% of the profits raised go to AYP and we are really trying hard to make this last minute effort to raise more money before Sunday.
When you make a bid, please let me know how much you are bidding and on which item you are bidding on. If you win, I’ll email you back and at that time, you’ll make the donation and I’ll bake the goodies and send them your way.
Sound like a plan?
I’ll update the bids every few hours so you can see who currently has the highest bids going on. The auction will end tonight at 10pm PST. Unfortunately, this auction is open to US bidders only at this time.
Ready…set…go!
7:15 am:
Elvis Granola: $50
Breakfast Bars: $50
Blondies: $35
Khushboo
September 26, 2011 at 4:04 amDo you do international deliveries?
Jen
September 26, 2011 at 5:22 amThe last line says it’s open only to U.S bidders so I’m assuming not.
Averie @ Love Veggies and Yoga
September 26, 2011 at 4:45 amThis is awesome of you!
And I really want to just lick that beater 🙂
Blog is the New Black
September 26, 2011 at 4:47 amGreat idea for a great cause. Good luck!
Angela @ Eat Spin Run Repeat
September 26, 2011 at 4:55 amwhat a great project! sadly i’m not a us blogger but if i was i’d totally be bidding on those blondies! good luck with the sale – i’m sure you’ll raise tons.
kristin
September 26, 2011 at 4:56 amLet the bidding begin! Yay!
amy walters, aDESIGNdock
September 26, 2011 at 5:27 amWhat a neat idea Jenna! I love how passionate you are about this wonderful cause 😀
Kristen @ Popcorn on the Stove
September 26, 2011 at 5:49 amWhat a great thing to do! This is so generous of you 🙂
Deva @ Deva by Definition
September 26, 2011 at 6:24 amWhat an awesome thing to do!
Cait's Plate
September 26, 2011 at 6:35 amI’m always down for treats. And I love what a great cause this is for. Baking for a cause makes baking 1000x better.
Karen
September 26, 2011 at 7:40 amYou are such a big-hearted girl, Jenna! Good luck on your fundraising efforts!
Sweet and Savvy
September 26, 2011 at 7:41 amWhat An awesome idea for an Amazing Cause!:)
Moni'sMeals
September 26, 2011 at 8:13 amGood for you Jenna! What a nice idea, you rule. 🙂
Lucy
September 26, 2011 at 8:19 amI was confused at first by the link to “Health Bar Blondies” — then I realized it was a typo, and all was right with the world again. 🙂
kathleen @ the daily crumb
September 26, 2011 at 8:58 amgreat idea, jenna!! good luck 🙂 this is such a great project.
Hmm
September 26, 2011 at 8:58 amWould you mind clarifying? I don’t understand why there is a need for yoga teachers in Kenya.. wouldn’t a better cause be food, clean water, medicine, etc?
jenna
September 26, 2011 at 11:15 amof course! you can find more information on the website (http://www.africayogaproject.org/), but yoga brings hope and compassion to those in need. after every free class, we provide a hot meal for all and spread love and peace to a poverty stricken area. we also go into jails and hospitals and teach self-worth and empowerment to women and children. obviously, we still need clean water and food but if everybody does something SMALL, it will add up to something BIG. I’m a firm believer in using our gifts to help others, and this is just an example of a group of people using what they are passionate about to bring hope to other people.
Anne
September 26, 2011 at 12:03 pmMmmm yes I was thinking the same since the beggining. I just gave money to OXFAM to help with the food crisis in East Africa. A lot of people are dying because of the famine they don’t have any food, not even rice just to stay alive… So I don’t know about that yoga project, to be honest. It is just Too complex and difficult there.
Jayne
September 26, 2011 at 1:45 pmI’m so sorry but this seems slightly self-indulgent when there are literally millions starving in the Horn of Africa (yes, that includes Kenya). If you go to oxfamamerica.org – you will be able to donate your dollars directly to those who are truly facing crisis – and believe me, could not care less about learning a yoga pose, when they have no food (whatsoever) to feed their children…. I’m sure you mean well, but a bake sale? When these people can’t even imagine what a Blondie could possibly be…? Please educate yourself about this area of the world and support Oxfam America in their efforts to save the lives of millions, in the very region that you are trying to introduce Yoga…
HilJo
September 26, 2011 at 3:42 pmI think both are good. Like Jenna said, it is cool to see people using their gifts and passions to help a needy place, and if this yoga project increases awareness of the various needs of the area, and people respond that is a good thing. Also, I agree that basic needs should probably be met first, but “empowering” people and bringing hope into their lives is also hugely important. As humans we look past mere survival for purpose and hope, and I for one think that the fact that there is more than one organization (in fact there are many) trying to help that area is awesome. I for one would say that a huge help to that area would be to teach proper forest management, since deforestation and poverty seem to be strongly linked throughout the world.
Jen
September 26, 2011 at 4:03 pmGreat points. I think that this could be applied to many situations right here in our own home-land though as well. I know in my city alone there are a number of outreach programs for troubled youth, abused women and the homeless to attend yoga and meditation sessions. I think the point is to offer other opportunities and hope for these people. A form of spirituality and sense of “living”.
Mind. Body. Spirit.
Mel
September 26, 2011 at 5:25 pmI think saying that Jenna is uneducated about her cause is quite a mean thing to say. I understand the point you are trying to make but clearly Jenna’s intentions are good for this project. She has supported many other organizations that bring food and water to impoverished areas of the world. Also, she mentioned this would be bringing meals to the people of the area as well. Please take into considerating peoples intentions and that bringing any awareness to these areas is better than doing nothing at all. Like I mentioned, I completely understand your point, but be kind.
Anne
September 27, 2011 at 6:06 amOf course I understand the motivation of the project. But yoga and the meal (and the hope, maybe) are like putting a plaster on a hemorrhage. Help the big organizations like OXFAM first, they have the expertise, they know what are the first needs, save lives of little starving children, for example…
Jayne
September 27, 2011 at 6:12 amI take Mel’s criticism of my tone on board, but please, humor me and take a look at Kristin Davis’s recent emotional interview with the BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-14105080
It speaks volumes…. and makes the argument far more succinctly than I could ever hope to.
Cori
September 28, 2011 at 8:40 amAnne I think you should support OXFAM since that is the mission you are passionate about, and let Jenna support her own mission. When people are trying to make a difference you don’t tell them it’s not good enough. Shame on you.
Rachel
September 28, 2011 at 12:58 pmTotally agree with you, Cori. I couldn’t figure out how I felt about this chain of comments and it was bothering me, but you hit the nail on the head. I think what’s pretty unique about Jenna’s project is that she has found a smaller organization where she knows people that are directly involved and will be able to see how everybody’s efforts are making a difference. How did the bake sale end up turning out, Jenna? Did you post it somewhere else?
Andrea @ The Skinny Chronicles
September 26, 2011 at 9:06 amEnjoy your day of baking (and dish washing). A very ambitious (and generous) agenda.
Hilliary@HappilyEverHealthy
September 26, 2011 at 9:26 amEnjoy your day of baking! This is a wonderful thing you are doing!
Krystina (Organically Me)
September 26, 2011 at 9:28 amGreat idea, Jenna. 🙂
Sweet Marcella
September 26, 2011 at 10:17 amSo sweet of you! Good luck Jenna!
Emily
September 26, 2011 at 11:08 amgreat fundraising idea! out of curiosity, what cities will the Kenyan teachers be out of? I live in tanzania so east africa is near and dear to my heart ( :
happy baking!
Jessica @ Jess Go Bananas
September 26, 2011 at 12:39 pmYou are too cool! There should be more people like you in the world! 🙂
Wish I had the mullah to bid 🙁
Amy@ahealthyandhappyheart
September 26, 2011 at 3:42 pmAwesome! Great idea 🙂
Krista
September 26, 2011 at 4:34 pmI wish! If only I had the moolah 😉 How did you get started doing yoga? I’ve been dying to try, but I always get so impatient.. I guess that’s something to get over first, huh? Ha! 😛
Sarah@The Flying ONION
September 26, 2011 at 5:12 pmWhat a great idea! 😀
Kelsey @ aslolife
September 26, 2011 at 8:36 pmSuch a great idea!
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com
September 26, 2011 at 10:00 pmGreat idea and efforts to make a difference in the world 🙂
Shelley
September 27, 2011 at 2:59 amvery sad I did not see this until today!
anna maria
September 28, 2011 at 8:43 pmJenna!
My name is Anna Maria and I’ve been following your blog for awhile now – it’s lovely 🙂
I’ve been reading your posts about Kenya – what a great project! I lived in Kenya when I was younger and am returning in Jan/Feb of 2012 to work for two months at a hospital there through my medical school http://www.iukenya.org/. There are a ton of associated programs but one is a center for street kids that offers daily shelter/food/activities. I hope to bring my yoga mat and teach a few sessions so we’ll see how that goes!
Sorry I’m too late to participate – hope the bake sale went well 🙂