Fighting homelessness with yoga

A La Jolla man is launching a national effort to help homeless people by practicing yoga.

“This is not a new idea,” said Andrew Beinbrink, CEO of SportsForce, a local college recruiting company. “This is already being done in different communities on a small scale, and the evidence of its successful so far is mind-blowing.”

Yoga, Beinbrink said, has been proven to reduce traumatic stress, depression, insomnia and addictions. It also has been used to help veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder.

All of those conditions are major contributors to homelessness, and Beinbrink said his plan to bring yoga to shelters and social service programs across the nation could have a profound impact on the problem.

“We believe yoga should be accessible to every homeless person that wants to practice,” Beinbrink said.

The La Jolla resident has launched Yoga 4 Homeless, a nonprofit that he plans to expand nationally throughout partnerships with yoga studios and homeless programs.

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