How backbends pay it forward to the North Brooklyn Angels
When Julia Elia, a Greenpoint-based yoga teacher and North Brooklyn Angels volunteer, looked around her neighborhood she saw the same thing she saw on a yoga mat: people who needed to show up for one another. She founded Greenpoint Community Yoga (GCY) in early 2024.
Elia’s vision was simple: offer accessible wellness classes that raise money for the Angels, the beloved volunteer-driven neighborhood organization whose motto is “Neighbors Helping Neighbors.” The Angels have been feeding meals to the community since 2017 by bringing food to where the need is through our mobile soup kitchen (the Angelmobile), which regularly serves up to two thousand hot and healthy meals per week at nine locations in North Brooklyn.
Jenny Narod, also a Greenpoint resident, joined as co-lead in late 2024 and brought her marketing background to help GCY grow its reach across the neighborhood. Together, Julia and Jenny have built something that is hard to categorize — part yoga studio, part community organizing, part fundraiser — that is entirely volunteer-run, from the teachers on the mat to the administrators keeping it all running behind the scenes.
“There will always be something inexhaustibly special about people coming together for the benefit of others. Every person who has donated their time to GCY has made the collective what it is. This community project keeps growing, and as it does, I am only more grateful and affirmed,” said Elia.
Classes are $10 per session, with every dollar going directly to the North Brooklyn Angels. In just two years, GCY has raised over $10K for the organization and grown to more than 500 members.
On March 22, the collective celebrated its second anniversary with a special class where NYC Council Member Lincoln Restler’s office presented GCY with a citation in recognition of its impact on the community.
“What Julia and Jenny have built is a genuine expression of what the North Brooklyn Angels are all about,” said Kendra Chiu, executive director of the North Brooklyn Angels. “This small team, working entirely on their own time, organically grew something that now benefits hundreds of neighbors. It’s a testament to what’s possible when people lead with generosity.”
What makes GCY stand out is how thoroughly the community has invested in every corner of the operation. Teachers donate their time. Photographers have donated shoots. Local restaurants contribute food and tea. The Church of the Ascension (127 Kent Street) has generously donated the space. And as GCY marks its second year, it has just launched a brand new website — designed pro bono by Jenna Swan, a web designer and frequent GCY participant. The site also debuts automated class scheduling, replacing a two-year-old system in which volunteer administrators manually entered every sign-up by hand.
“So many people talk about the loss of community and third spaces. At its core, Greenpoint Community Yoga is about being a villager. It’s not just about what we give, it’s about what we all get back by being a villager — connection, belonging, and the reminder that building something magical doesn’t require a massive budget. It just requires repeatedly showing up for each other, time and time again,” said Narod.
Classes are held twice a month, are open to all levels — beginners especially welcome — and the collective makes a point of showcasing local instructors. The atmosphere, attendees say, is as much about connection as it is about the practice.
“I eagerly look forward to my GCY sessions each month. It’s a way to do good for my body and for my neighbors at the same time, while resetting for the week ahead. There’s plenty of opportunity for connection & community…usually helped along by a sweet treat from a local business or something homemade & delicious! The teachers are all so knowledgeable and the flows are accessible but still challenging. And of course the space is beautiful, the tunes are vibey, and I always leave with a sense of peaceful accomplishment,” said Lauren Nordvig.
To learn more, sign up for a class, or get involved, visit: www.greenpointcommunityyoga.com/upcoming-offerings.
To learn more about or donate to North Brooklyn Angels, visit: northbrooklynangels.org
The Greenline 