Holistic Life Foundation
The Holistic Life Foundation, a 501(c)(3) BIPOC-led nonprofit based in Baltimore, Maryland, is dedicated to enhancing the social, educational, emotional, and environmental well-being of underserved communities. Founded in 2001 by Ali Smith, Atman Smith, and Andres Gonzalez, HLF has empowered over 200,000 students and adults in more than 100 schools and communities nationwide, providing over 100,000 hours of yoga, mindfulness, and health training.
Our high-quality, evidence-based programs are facilitated in diverse settings such as schools, detention centers, drug treatment centers, mental health facilities, recreation centers, group homes, colleges, senior centers, and wellness centers nationwide. Through a multi-year partnership with the Clinton Global Initiative, we’ve expanded our Mindful Moment Program to Chicago, Denver, Milwaukee. We have our programs in the Akwesasne Mohawk territories in NY/Canada and offer virtual sessions in Malawi, Africa.
Our work is backed by research. A pilot trial in partnership with Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Penn State, and Baltimore School District found that our yoga programs significantly improve students’ emotional regulation, stress response, and reduce rumination. These findings were published in the Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology. Additionally, Kennedy Krieger studies highlighted our efforts to address ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) and foster community healing.
Our vision is to cultivate a generation of healthy, supported, mindful students with the knowledge, access, and support to succeed in life.