Through these funds, the Foundation will be able to teach Transcendental Meditation to 250 youth in high crime areas over the next year. Read the official press release here.
For the past 10 years, the David Lynch Foundation has partnered with public school systems, veteran service organizations, women’s shelters, and correctional institutions to introduce the evidence-based Transcendental Meditation technique to reduce stress, heal trauma and decrease violence among at-risk youth and adults in major U.S. cities, including New York, Newark, New Haven, Washington, DC, Detroit, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
The outcomes of the DLF programs are significant. For example, studies on veterans who meditate show a 50% reduction in symptoms of post-traumatic stress, and schools offering the TM-based Quiet Time program have found an 86% reduction in suspensions, a 25% increase in academic performance among low-performing students, and a 40% decrease in psychological distress. Quiet Time also prevents teacher burnout and emotional exhaustion among faculty and staff.
“This is a tool that will help our students to be able to successfully navigate life no matter where life happens to take them,” says Nakisha Hobbs, the principal of the Village Leadership Academy in Chicago.
James Dierke, executive vice president of the American Federation of School Administrators, agrees: “This is the most powerful and effective program I’ve come across in my 40 years as a public school educator for addressing the problem of stress in education, particularly in our inner-city schools.”
In addition to its efforts to curb youth violence, the Foundation is working to help bereaved mothers in Chicago to heal from tragic loss.
Watch their story below.
Learn More:
