The Hot Room Yoga Studios Continue Supporting IBCF Through NAP Credit Program

By: Seth Johnson

Much like the Indiana Blind Children’s Foundation (IBCF), The Hot Room and their yoga studios are all about creating a more inclusive world for all.

A man of South Asian descent (Ashish Kalgaonkar) stands in front of the front desk at The Hot Room’s Downtown Indy location. Ashish is wearing a gray hoodie with white drawstrings which reads “Peace,” “Love” and “Yoga” in arched, white font over top of a white droplet illustration and “The Hot Room” in white font. Ashish is smiling and in a relaxed pose, with one arm leaning on the desk. “We really want to make yoga a very diverse place,” says Ashish Kalgaonkar, who co-owns The Hot Room with his wife Hye Jin. “I think yoga studios may have this perception of only being for a certain type of individual, and we really want to open that up, being that we’re both people of color. We’re trying to get different bodies — different shapes, sizes and orientations — in here so that people can really experience what yoga can offer them. The mindfulness and focus on breathing are so essential, just from a day-to-day perspective.”

Founded in 2013, The Hot Room now has five locations in Indiana and Illinois where they teach over 90 Original Hot Yoga, Baptiste-inspired Hot Power Vinyasa, Inferno Hot Pilates and Yin classes every week. At each of these facilities, Ashish and Hye Jin hope to share the healing power of yoga with as many people as they can.

“We really, truly believe that spending some time on yourself — even if it’s just an hour a day to breathe — is one of the most therapeutic things that you can do for your life,” Ashish says.

Fittingly, Ashish and Hye Jin first met IBCF executive director Laura Alvarado when she came in for a class at their 96^th Street location. After striking up a conversation with Alvarado, The Hot Room co-founders discovered they share a similar passion for making the world a better place.

“We just think everything the foundation is doing is so critical to providing pathways to people,” Ashish says. “That aligns with our mission and vision as well. If we’re creating community, it has to be for everybody.”

For this reason, The Hot Room supports IBCF financially each year through the Neighborhood Assistance Tax Credit Program (NAP). Through this program, IBCF has been awarded the ability to distribute $11,100 in tax credits to eligible donors allowing IBCF to earn $22,200 in contributions towards its mission and educational programming at ISBVI. This year's NAP donations will benefit the 2023 Braille Challenge, a one-day event designed to support and reinforce the importance of braille literacy among children with visual impairments.

To learn more about how you can support IBCF by making a NAP tax credit donation, be sure to visit this link. Currently, IBCF has $2225 left in tax credits to distribute, allowing us to raise an additional $4450 before December 31.