ABOUT US
Our Vision
We envision a world where people have the inner wisdom tools and growth opportunities to thrive and reach their full potential.
Our Mission
The Sounds True Foundation shares teachings and practices to
empower people on their life journeys.
Our Core Values
We are committed to a culture that inspires authentic connection, celebrates human uniqueness, and serves humanity for the greater good.
Areas of Focus
Prisons
Justice-Impacted People, Correctional Facility Staff, and Chaplains
Centers for Care and Recovery
Domestic Violence, Homeless Shelters, and Addiction Recovery
Frontline Workers
Healthcare, Military, First Responders, and Civil Servants
Education
Students, Teachers, Counselors
Areas of Focus
Transformational education should be accessible to anyone who wants it—especially those without the means to seek it out. That’s why we’re devoted to removing financial barriers to life-changing books and learning programs.
Community is at the heart of our work. That’s why, once a year, we host a three-day gathering to connect with each other and some of the most beloved spiritual teachers of our time.
We share intimate stories ranging from children using meditation in the classroom, to people impacted by the justice system accessing compassion-based skills, to veterans developing the tools of mindfulness.
Foundation History
The Sounds True Foundation is a 501(c)(3), which started operating in 2018. The original vision for the foundation was to extend the mission of the Sounds True publishing company, founded by Tami Simon over 35 years ago. Sounds True has become the world’s leading wisdom-based publishing house dedicated to disseminating spiritual wisdom. The company has published more than 3,000 titles and consists of a thriving global community. Wanting to reach as many people as possible, including those who are suffering from financial hardship and communities who are impacted by trauma, poverty, and social injustice, the Sounds True Foundation was formed.
In September 2019, the foundation kicked-off its fundraising efforts at the Sounds True Gathering in Scotts Valley, California, which paved the way for its initial slate of programming. While navigating the new virtual environment of the pandemic in 2020, we were proud to begin training a new cohort of Mindful Champions through the Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification program, and launched the Stay Woke, Give Back Tour, a nationwide mindfulness outreach initiative to teens and young adults. In 2021, we partnered with Ivy Child and Santosha School of Yoga to produce a 12 month online Healing Retreat for People of Color. Each year, we continue to introduce more people- especially those affected by trauma, poverty, and social injustice and those who directly serve these communities- to wisdom-based tools through outreach, scholarships, and strategic partnerships.
To show our appreciation for your continued support, please enjoy these two short teachings from beloved teachers Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach.
Currently, we are focusing our efforts on strengthening operational infrastructure in order to scale programming, grow our network of partners and supporters, and reach more people with wisdom-based teachings and practices. We invite you to join us on this journey.
