On November 4, 2017, yogis from across New Jersey will come together and “flow to feed” at the 5th annual Headstands for Hunger in Asbury Park, NJ, at the world famous Convention Hall.
Vanessa Van Noy, a widely respected NJ vinyasa teacher, founded Headstands for Hunger in 2013 in what she describes as a “light bulb moment”, with an overwhelmingly strong intention to unify her own local community AND feed hungry people and homeless pets nationwide.
No small task, right? Van Noy acknowledges the enormity of the job, but has never once considered quitting. For Van Noy, service isn’t optional and karma isn’t just a conversation topic. Van Noy practices what she preaches and teaches, and she asks the same of our entire yoga community – teachers and students. In her words,
“Intentions are good, but ultimately actions matter more.” So she called upon every single teacher and student she knew, asking them to come together, serve the larger good and, quite honestly, “check their egos at the door.”
And they did.
Headstands for Hunger has collected more than 10000 pounds of food for all beings, large and small. In 2016, Van Noy and her team successfully achieved 501c3 status for Headstands for Hunger and set their sights of stages across the country, with an unwavering intention to “feed them all.”
Local student Randi Sigman said,
Headstands for Hunger “is the ultimate expression of yoga love in the community. Beloved instructors from local studios, animal lovers, and yogis come with their practices, gratitude, food, and friends to gather for a unified purpose. The energy in the room is pure.”
With the 2017 Headstands for Hunger only weeks away, Van Noy somehow found time to sit down with us and share her story. The NJ Yoga Collective researched all her successes before our interview, so of course, we wanted to find out more about the transformative woman who made it all happen.
Headstands for Hunger brings people together to raise awareness and collect food for ALL beings in need. Was this completely uncharted territory for you, or do you have a direct, personal connection?
I have more than one connection. My mom, who raised me on her own until I was 8 years old, worked incredibly hardfor us to scrape by. That being said, we always had something to eat.Animals are another story. All of my animals are rescues and I love them fiercely.I’ve learned, through many years of volunteerism and activism, that staggering numbers of animals are abandoned and surrendered, especially in the winter months, because their owners cannot afford to feed them. In 2013, as we started this event, Monmouth County’s SPCA Food Pantry opened up. It was kismet. We all saw a huge hole that needed to be filled: HUNGER. That was my connection and when I made that connection, I couldn’t stop working.
If you could put out a call to action right now, what would you ask the NJ yoga community to do?
First and foremost, show up on November 4th! Promote Headstands for Hunger in your studios and on your social media. Volunteer in any capacity you can, from making a phone call to helping me sweep the floors after all the mats are rolled up. Our team is growing quickly, but we could always use another compassionate warrior in the trenches with us.
Oh and last but not least, ADOPT A PET!!!
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