Pilates Brunch Club: Moving for a Cause, Connecting for Change
When movement meets meaning, community thrives. Pilates Brunch Club (PBC) was born from that exact belief… that wellness and philanthropy can coexist beautifully to create lasting impact.
Founded nine years ago by Victoria Popoff Ardis, local entrepreneur, Pilates instructor, and owner of Studio V Pilates and Fitness in Modesto, PBC began as a simple idea: bring women together for Pilates, brunch, and a shared sense of purpose. What started as a small, joyful community gathering has grown into a multi-city nonprofit organization curating wellness-focused events throughout the Central Valley, Napa, and Santa Barbara. Each event blends mindful movement, connection, and meaningful fundraising to support women and families rebuilding their lives.
In 2024, Pilates Brunch Club became an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, solidifying its mission to unite wellness, community, and philanthropy. Through beautifully curated experiences; from vineyard yoga sessions to full-moon sound baths and themed book club dinners, PBC transforms movement into meaningful impact. Every event donates a portion of ticket proceeds to HAVEN, helping to fund critical services for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking.
Pilates Brunch Club also ensures that healing spaces are accessible to everyone, with a number of sponsored tickets reserved at each event for survivors who wish to attend as guests. Survivors may reach out confidentially through HAVEN or Pilates Brunch Club to inquire about availability.
As both a board member for HAVEN and a certified victim advocate who has completed HAVEN’s 72-hour Victim Advocacy Training, Victoria brings a unique blend of empathy, leadership, and trauma-informed understanding to her work. “Pilates Brunch Club has always been about more than Pilates,” she shares. “It’s about reminding women they are worthy of investing in themselves — and when they do, they’re also investing in someone else’s chance to rebuild.”
This year, Pilates Brunch Club set an ambitious goal: raise $30,000 for HAVEN, and the organization has already raised over $22,000. Each dollar represents not just financial support, but a shared belief in the power of women lifting one another up, on and off the mat.
PBC events are made possible through the generosity of local wellness brands, female-owned businesses, and community sponsors who share this vision of movement with purpose. Their support fuels events that bring together women of all backgrounds to move, connect, and give back.
At every PBC gathering, guests are invited to slow down, move with intention, and connect deeply, to themselves and to each other. Whether through Pilates and yoga, brunch and conversation, or laughter under the stars, attendees leave with a sense of fulfillment that extends beyond their own wellbeing.
For HAVEN, this partnership represents what happens when a community steps up creatively, using the power of wellness and togetherness to advance a serious cause in an uplifting, inspiring way. For Victoria, it’s deeply personal. As both a wellness leader and an advocate for women’s empowerment, she sees Pilates Brunch Club as a bridge between two worlds: one that heals the body, and one that helps heal the heart.
Pilates Brunch Club proves that when women move together, they move mountains — and with each event, the ripple of healing grows stronger throughout our community.
To learn more, donate, or join an upcoming event, visit www.pilatesbrunchclub.com or follow @pilatesbrunchclub on Instagram.
Author Bio
Written by Victoria Popoff Ardis, an entrepreneur, Pilates instructor, and community leader passionate about connecting women through wellness and purpose. She founded Pilates Brunch Club, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit uniting movement and philanthropy, and owns Studio V Pilates & Fitness in Modesto. As a HAVEN board member and certified victim advocate, Victoria is committed to helping women heal, grow, and thrive — on and off the mat.