Community
On one of her many trips to Pune, India to study with the Iyengar family, Janet attended an event at which the City of Pune acknowledged BKS Iyengar for his contribution to the city. It turns out that he is a great philanthropist, donating to meaningful causes and supporting his local community with contributions matching those of the big industrialists. He has also been involved in building up the poor town of Bellur, his birthplace, providing education and healthcare to the residents. Janet was impressed by her guru's generosity and dedication to service and was inspired to make a difference to her community on a much smaller scale. She donates a great deal of time to the Iyengar Yoga Institute of San Francisco, a traditional school for both teaching students and training students to become teachers. Teachers trained at the Institute teach yoga in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. She has also taught workshops to benefit the SF Aids Foundation, Breast Cancer Action, UNICEF drive for clean drinking water worldwide and St. Martin de Porres Food Bank. A firm believer that yoga does not begin and end on the mat, Janet uses her skill as a teacher to make a difference in her community.