One Page Talking about Tzu Chi

Tzu Chi is an international humanitarian organization whose mission is to relieve the suffering of those in need and create a better world for all.[1]

In Chinese, “tzu” means compassion, and “chi” relief: With open hearts and helping hands, our volunteers are here to serve you.[1]

Global Tzu Chi History

In 1966, Dharma Master Cheng Yen established Tzu Chi Foundation in Hualien, an impoverished rural county of Taiwan.  The devout Buddhist nun was moved by the misery and pain she saw around her, and made a powerful aspiration to relieve suffering and help the poor. She joined forces with five female disciples and thirty housewives, and to fund their charity, the women made baby shoes for sale, and put money aside from what they had for food.[2]

Tzu Chi is now ten million strong, active on five continents, and in over ninety countries. Tzu Chi not only provides physical relief, but also advocates the development of altruistic love for others, and selfless giving through volunteering.[2]

In founding Tzu Chi, her wish was to give ordinary people the chance to actualize their compassion, and find inner peace and joy while saving the world. She is often called the “Mother Theresa of Asia”, has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, and honored on TIME 100: The Most Influential People in the World list. But worldly accolades cannot encompass the full impact of the immense and tangible relief Master Cheng Yen and Tzu Chi bring to those in need and distress around the globe.[3]

§  Northwest Region, 01/01/1993.  25 Years.

§  Tzu Chi USA

https://www.tzuchi.us/story/providing-disaster-relief/#USA

·       From 2001 to 2016, we provided over $27,690,000 in aid in the USA, benefitting 79,864 families and 203,309 individuals affected by man-made disasters and natural disasters such as 9/11, California wildfires, Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Sandy, Louisiana flood, Midwest tornadoes etc.

·       In 2016, we responded to 48 disasters and distributed $2,008,124 in cash cards, benefiting 4,718 families affected by disasters domestically.

·       We partner with the American Red Cross and install smoke alarms in private homes. From 2014 to 2016, we participated in more than 120 public education events about home fire and disaster preparedness.

·       In 2005, a Category 5 hurricane struck the Gulf Coast. Hurricane Katrina is recorded as the costliest natural disaster in United States history.  The damage totaled $67.8 billion.  Tzu Chi distributed cash cards and checks to 3,838 households, committing $4 million to emergency relief efforts. Emotional comfort, however, is priceless.

·       Santa Rose Fire Relief.

[中文]

每當美國境內發生重大、緊急災難，慈濟救災賑濟的身影絕不缺席，並且堅守「重點、直接、尊重」賑災原則。

·       2005年8月，美國遭遇史上最大的卡翠娜颶風，造成墨西哥灣沿岸數州嚴重災情。來自13個州的慈濟志工投入賑災，以現值卡的創意方式，及時為受災民眾紓困。發出逾500萬美元應急金，幫助了至少58,000人。

·       2001年「911事件」，慈濟志工立即動員至受災現場，發出200多萬美元應急金。

·       2008年6月中西部水患，慈濟在重災區愛荷華州發放應急金約200萬美元及毛毯等民生物資。

We provide swift disaster relief in the U.S. and internationally. In the U.S. we offer cash cards, blankets, necessities, and comfort. We also offer a disaster aid Cash-For-Relief program that provides jobs at substantial compensation on a day-by-day basis as needed. The program motivates communities to work together to begin rebuilding, and helps families get back on their feet while stimulating the local economy. The compensations earned are a form of charity aid that empowers and offers relief after disasters.

2.  Promote Healthy Eating – Be A Vegetarian 推廣吃素的好處

·       Ethical Eating at Tzu Chi means choosing a vegetarian diet and locally produced food because such personal choices prevent global warming and combat climate change. Change starts with us and it can start one day at a time. One day per month, or one meal per day~~

·       Ethical Eating Day, Pledge now, and be vegetarian and locavore for a dayon January 11, 2019

https://www.tzuchi.us/ethical-eating-day/

There are a lot of information at the link above and it’s the website to pledge.

·       志工可以穿水果家族costume 推廣111世界蔬醒日，可以問文宣海報組相關海報、文宣。

3.  Jing Si Products

·       We can sell and introduce Jing Si products including Da Ai Technology products.

§  Da Ai Technology.  We can request promotion material from Jing Si. 製成大愛紗的十個步驟。

§  We can serve Jing Si tea to the public.  可以demo靜思茶道，介紹靜思茶的故事 (陳忠義師兄接下三義茶園的故事) 並提供事先泡好保溫的靜思茶讓會眾品嘗。

§  可以問文宣海報組相關海報、文宣。

4.  Jing Si Multi-purpose Folding Bed

·       Weigh 13.5 kg, unfolded in 10 seconds, bear the weight of 150 kg! This bed saved thousands of people, won 6 international awards!  Also, just within a second, it can turn into a bench for a couple of people to sit. Apart from its convenience indoors or outdoors, its high mobility makes itself a useful replacement of the bed in a shelter or the sickbed in a medical aid station.

§  In order to make it easy to carry, Dharma Master Cheng Yen makes wheels out of recycled trash cardboard to accompany the box so that it can be carried around like luggage.

§  it is also friendly to the environment. All the instructions are printed on the outside of the box to save paper. This design is called “SleepBox & Wheel”.

§  Both “Jing Si Multi-purpose Folding Bed” and “SleepBox & Wheel”won the Red Dot Design Award, China Good Design Award 2015 and four other international awards.

·       The design of the bed was initiated by the founder of Tzu Chi, Dharma Master Cheng Yen. In 2010, she saw from TV that a Pakistani baby girl laid on the cold ground because her home was devastated by the flood. She felt sorry to see that, and thus called on the volunteers to seek possible resolution.

·       Since its development in 2010, the Jing Si Foldable Multipurpose Platform has been distributed in countries all over the world, including Haiti, Haiti, Malaysia, Indonesia, China, and Pakistan.  The multipurpose platforms have been an essential part of the Tzu Chi Disaster Relief and Humanitarian Aid distributions.  Most recently, 5000-6000 units have been shipped to Nepal for a largescale distribution to assist those who have lost their homes in the devastating earthquake. Additionally, about 1500 units have been distributed to government hospitals in Sierra Leone to replace used and worn out hospital beds that have been contaminated by Ebola-affected victims.

Victims of natural disasters and extreme poverty are the current users. The bed has been a staple part of distribution during Tzu Chi relief efforts. For the Nepal earthquake relief, those who have lost their homes in the earthquake now have a bed to sleep on in the temporary shelters. Between 5000 to 6000 beds are currently being distributed in Nepal. For the Ebola recovery in Sierra Leone, patients staying in government hospitals can now sleep on clean, sanitary beds, which can reduce the spread of disease.

·       可以詢問文宣海報組是否有英文的海報、文宣。

·       向急難救助組借用兩張福慧床展示，一張展示床，一張展示椅子，要有紙箱可以示範介紹。

[1] https://www.tzuchi.us/mission/

[2] https://www.tzuchi.us/history/

[3] https://www.tzuchi.us/blog/biography-of-dharma-master-cheng-yen