East Falls yoga teacher sets out to raise $20,000 for Haiti relief fund

Vanessa Hazzard-Tillman, an East Falls-based yoga instructor and philanthropist, has set out on an ambitious quest to raise money for Haiti’s earthquake relief fund in collaboration with the international charity program Off the Mat, Into the World (OTM).

Through her passion for holistic healing at Mellow Message Therapy Center in Sherman Mills, Vanessa has been working to raise $20,000 by Dec. 15.

Since April of this year, she has been encouraging Philly residents to aid her in the humanitarian effort as part of the Global Seva Challenge.

The Global Seva Challenge seeks to provide Haitians with long-term solutions and keep others conscious of the relief process.

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If successful, Hazzard-Tillman will travel to Haiti in February 2012 alongside OTM co-founders and leaders, to assist first-hand in the nation’s restoration.

In support of these efforts, a silent art auction was held last month at Vivant Art Collective in Old City, courtesy of the gallery’s curator Florcy Morisset.

Popular radio personality Tiffany Bacon hosted the event, which served as a reminder to keep those who were affected by the tragedy in mind.

Vanessa Martino and Michael Bellizzi are students at the University of the Arts. This piece was produced as part of the collaborative media program of The University of the Arts and WHYY/NewsWorks. 

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