Community Engagement

Collaborations that foster healing and connection in our community.

What does community engagement look like to us?

The need for justice and equity within our community demands constant attention, and we are grateful for the countless local organizations, committees, and activist groups working toward this goal. Sanctuary is a community partner to these organizations and groups, with the intent to raise awareness and encourage action. We lend our platform and resources to foster change through a series of educational campaigns and public/private events.

Community Spotlight Series

We recognize that providing access to education is a fundamental step towards change. Sanctuary is pleased to serve as a facilitator and connect cause-based organizations with community members. The main channel for education is through our Community Spotlight Series. One local organization is chosen as our Community Spotlight partner each month, and during that time we feature their story and services throughout Sanctuary’s communication channels. Included in this outreach campaign is:

  • Inclusion in at least one of our weekly newsletters (~5,000 subscribers)

  • At least two social media posts about organization services (~1,500 followers)

  • An opportunity to tell your story in a post on our blog

  • A permanent listing on our Community Engagement webpage with a link to your site (see below)

  • An opportunity to display fliers and distribute pamphlets at our studio during the designated month

  • An event listing (see below) on our Events & Series webpage

  • At least two social media posts about the event we are co-organizing (see below)

Additionally, we co-organize a celebratory community event to be held at our beloved studio. These events take place towards the end of the month so we have plenty of time to promote them through our combined outreach channels. The event can be open to the public, and can be educational, community-building, or fundraising in nature. Or, it could be a private event, such as offering a restorative/wellness activity that honors all the hard work that staff and volunteers contribute to the cause. The goal is to put our space to use in a supportive way for each partner organization. Our downtown Northampton studio is an accessible, welcoming space, perfect for hosting educational events. The big studio can accommodate up to one-hundred people (depending on the use case), while still providing an intimate experience for all. 

A hearty thank you to everyone at Sanctuary for featuring GFN last month! We so appreciate the exposure to your community. We especially loved the chance to host an event in the studio. Our sunset social was a total smash. We had a beautiful platter from Paul and Elizabeth's and everyone had a great time visiting and getting to know each other. It was a great mix with all of our staff members as well as board, farmers, and advisors from the community.

– Niki Lankowski, Communications Manager, Grow Food Northampton

Our list of current and past Spotlight organizations is below. To register an organization for participation in the Community Spotlight Series, please click on one of the buttons further down this page.

Please fill out one of the forms below to get involved!

Community Spotlight Organizations

Disaster Response and Ongoing Collaborations

Sanctuary sees itself as a force for good. When an urgent need arises in the community we work with our Collective members to identify a meaningful way to respond and support the organizations involved. We also foster ongoing collaborations with local organizations to offer a variety of our services directly to their members. The following are a few ways in which we approach these community engagement activities:

  • We organize donation-based yoga classes that directly raise funds for an organization's cause. 

  • We create customized classes for an offsite event or schedule private group sessions at our studio. 

  • We donate class cards to local charity, silent auction, and other fundraising events.

  • We organize low-income clinics where a variety of bodywork services can be offered to community members.

  • We provide a 50% discount to non-profit organizations who want to rent our space for retreats or service activities. 

Some specific examples of these are as follows:

  • Northampton Survival Center

    • Every Thanksgiving we host an online donation-based yoga class to benefit the Survival Center. The teacher volunteers their time to teach the class and Sanctuary donates 100% of revenue to the Center. We regularly raise $1,000+ each year during this single class!

  • The Eric Carle Museum

    • During the warmer months, a Sanctuary yoga teacher offers a free yoga class for kids between the ages of 3–6 in the outdoor garden space at the Carle Museum. The class is free with admission to the museum as The Carle underwrites the cost of the teacher.

  • Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA)

    • In the wake of widespread and damaging flooding during the summer of 2023, a few of Sanctuary’s yoga teachers volunteered their time to offer a donation-based class and Sanctuary offered a 1:1 match on all funds raised. Our community donated a total of $800 to CISA’s Emergency Farm Fund.