The Deed team sat down with the Veterans Yoga Project to talk about their important mission and how companies can help drive more impact.
As part of our ongoing nonprofit spotlight series for 2025, we had the privilege of speaking with Brianna Renner, Chief Executive Officer of Veterans Yoga Project. At Deed, we are consistently inspired by the incredible work of our nonprofit partners. We are also grateful for the opportunity to gain deeper insights into how these organizations have evolved and expanded their impact.
Veterans Yoga Project is dedicated to supporting the recovery and resilience of veterans, military families, and their communities through the transformative practices of yoga and mindfulness. By offering accessible healing practices, the organization helps veterans manage trauma-related challenges, including PTSD. In our chat with Brianna, Deed learned more about the incredible impact of the Veterans Yoga Project, as well as the importance of research in developing tailored support for specific communities, such as veterans, to enhance their well-being.
Continue reading to hear directly from Brianna Renner about the Veterans Yoga Project’s mission and how Deed is helping advance its impactful work.
What is the mission of Veterans Yoga Project Today?
Our mission is to support the recovery and resilience of veterans, military families, and their communities. We aim to create a space where veterans can not only heal, but also thrive and feel a real sense of belonging.
What motivated the creation of Veterans Yoga Project?
Dr. Dan Libby was doing postdoctoral work focused on the physiological correlates of mindfulness meditation at Yale University’s Department of Psychiatry and the VA’s Mental Illness Research and Education Clinical Center, when he noticed something interesting: The VA offered yoga classes which were not being utilized. Utilization improved when the team started integrating practices such as mind resilience techniques, breathing exercises, meditation, mindful movement, guided rest, and gratitude into the classes. One day, a veteran came up to him and said, "Hey Doc, I didn’t need my sleep medication—I meditated instead." That feedback inspired Dr. Libby to refine his approach, which he eventually packaged into what we now call the Mindful Resilience for Trauma Recovery Training. This was the foundation of Veterans Yoga Project, which was officially incorporated in 2011.
How has Veterans Yoga Project changed since it was originally founded?
Our Mindful Resilience for Trauma Recovery Training is what I consider our flagship program. It's really the gateway into our organization. From the beginning, we've been deeply rooted in a culture in which our guiding principle is "support precedes action." We teach from a place of mindfulness, authenticity, presence, and acceptance, and these principles are woven into everything we do. The training itself is both science-based and psychology-driven, providing a solid foundation for participants. Over the years, we’ve expanded our offerings. In addition to the original training, we now offer a 200-hour yoga teacher training specifically for veterans and military members. We’ve also developed a Mindful Resilience for Cultivating Compassion program, which helps address burnout, vicarious trauma, and secondary trauma. We’ve made huge strides in accessibility, too. What started in residential treatment settings has grown into a broader network, with partnerships now spanning VA facilities, Veteran Centers, colleges, universities, and other veteran-serving and community-based organizations. Plus, we offer a virtual studio with free classes available to everyone, with no limits on how many classes someone can take. Whether in person or online, we strive to make everything as accessible as possible.
Are there any specific programs or initiatives you would like to highlight?
In addition to our core programs, we host two major fundraising events every year. The first is Gratitude Week, which takes place over the 10 days surrounding Veterans Day (which will be on November 25 in 2025!). During this week, we invite yoga teachers and fitness instructors to host donation-based classes. Not only do these classes raise funds, but they also help spread the word about our work to yoga studios and fitness communities that may not have heard of us before, which is always a great benefit. The second fundraiser is a unique in-person event on the Battleship New Jersey, which features a sunset yoga class on the deck of the ship. It’s a wonderful opportunity to practice yoga together while enjoying a stunning sunset. This will be our fourth or fifth event on a ship, and they’ve always been incredibly impactful and meaningful for everyone involved.
How has Deed helped support for Veterans Yoga Project?
I’m really grateful for Deed. It’s such a privilege to be part of a space where we can not only be present but also connect with other organizations that share our mission. I strongly believe we’re stronger together, and the more we can learn from each other and support one another, the more effective and impactful our collective work becomes.
Where can people learn more about the causes supported by your organization?
The VA has an excellent resource library for understanding mental health and the resources available to veterans through the VA system and Vet Centers. Beyond that, our website (veteransyoga.org) is a great place to explore the tools and resources we provide to support veterans.
How can someone best help support Veterans Yoga Project?
We’re primarily a volunteer-based organization, and we’re so lucky to have such dedicated volunteers. There's always plenty to do, so we’re always looking for people who want to give back to the veteran and military communities. Since we're a virtual organization, our office is in the cloud, so there’s always something to update or manage. We also really appreciate donations and grants, which support a few key areas. First, all of our yoga classes—whether virtual or in-person—are free. We’re able to keep them free because of donations, which help cover the costs. This way, veterans don’t have to worry about offsetting the expenses. Donations also allow us to offer scholarships to military families and service members for our training programs. The funding goes toward general overhead, but it’s also crucial for supporting the classes, ensuring our teachers are compensated, and maintaining the highest quality programming possible for the veteran community.
Deed’s conversation with Veterans Yoga Project highlighted the profound impact of their mission to help veterans heal and thrive through yoga and mindfulness. It was a powerful reminder of the essential work being done to help veterans heal and thrive, and of the ongoing support needed to continue this important mission. If you’re inspired by their work, there are many ways to get involved! We encourage you to visit Veterans Yoga Project’s Deed profile to volunteer, donate, or help spread the word about their important mission! To learn more about how your company can support the Veterans Yoga Project and over 2 million vetted nonprofits all over the world, book a demo today.
