NY Loves Yoga — located at 140 West 83rd Street — has cultivated and nurtured a community on the Upper West Side of Manhattan since it was founded in June of 2011. The name, NY Loves Yoga came to MJ Watkins while practicing in the space - citing it the perfect name for a city head-over-heels in love with yoga. Everyone who enters the studio comments on the warm and inviting atmosphere, how it feels like a sanctuary, like an old-school yoga studio - no frills, down to earth quality teaching in a safe and inviting space.

Over the past 14 years, the studio has welcomed thousands of yogis and hosted countless classes, workshops, creative salons, fundraisers and other special events. This studio also serves as a haven for those seeking inner peace and connection to self and others. NY Loves Yoga is not just a haven for the community, it’s also a local business in the heart of New York City.

As many of you know, in the early morning hours of October 27, a fire broke out in the front lobby. The fire spread quickly, destroying the entire lobby, bathrooms, and most of the studio's equipment. While we wait for the Health Department to reopen our doors and for the lengthy renovation process to begin, we are asking yogis near and far for their support of our community and our business.

Your support will go to the extraordinary people who make our community’s yoga practice possible, and the temporary space for our practice to continue. Your donations will also fund renovations, supplies and the many resources we lost in the fire.

This GoFundMe campaign will support:

We are overwhelmed with gratitude for the kind words and support we have already received from our community. Thank you, thank you, thank you for any amount you can contribute. With your support, we will be back at the studio and practicing together as soon as possible.