Seicho-ji Temple Holds New Year's "Joining Hands for Good Deeds, Warming Hearts" Donation Event#
Release Time: March 2, 2024, 13:42 Source: Meixin News Agency
Donating a total of seven shelves of animal food and supplies to the Pasadena Humane Animal Shelter
[Los Angeles News] At the beginning of the Year of the Dragon in 2024, the World Buddhist Headquarters and Seicho-ji Temple in Pasadena, Southern California, adhering to the teachings of the Third Dharma King, the Great Compassionate Bodhisattva, and the practice of benefiting others, held a "Joining Hands for Good Deeds, Warming Hearts" donation event during the Lunar New Year period to raise supplies for local food banks, homeless shelters, and animal shelters.
The donation event started on February 10th and lasted until February 24th (from the first day to the fifteenth day of the lunar calendar). During this period, local residents and believers from various places actively participated. In addition to receiving packages from various states in the United States, the temple also received packages from Asia, contributing a lot of heartwarming resources to the donation event.
In order to ensure the proper use of donated supplies, during this donation event, the temple visited several food banks, homeless shelters, and animal shelters to confirm the needs of the receiving units. The collected supplies were then donated to the Friends In Deed non-profit foundation and the Pasadena Humane Animal Shelter in Pasadena, as well as the Heart of Compassion Distribution food bank in Montebello, according to the needs of the receiving units as confirmed during the temple's on-site visits.
During the 14-day event, the temple received a large number of daily necessities and food. After the donation event, all the received supplies were carefully categorized. The supplies were divided into two main categories: general supplies, including blankets, soap, body wash, lotion, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, razors, raincoats, gloves, hand warmers, diapers, sleeping bags, and more, totaling 32,015 items; and food, including rice, cereal, nutrition bars, pasta, macaroni, pasta sauce, powdered milk, canned food, oil, sugar, drinks, totaling 6,636 items. According to the needs of the receiving units, these supplies were donated to the Friends In Deed non-profit foundation with three shelves and the Heart of Compassion Distribution food bank with five shelves. Another category of supplies consisted of animal food, including canned, bagged, and packaged items, totaling 5,046 items, and animal supplies, including cages, towels, mats, beds, bowls, toys, and more, totaling 13,945 items. These animal food and supplies were all donated to the Pasadena Humane Animal Shelter with seven shelves.
On March 1st, the temple delivered the collected supplies, a total of fifteen shelves, to the receiving units. As a gesture of gratitude, the receiving units also presented thank-you letters to the temple. Kevin, the spokesperson for the Pasadena Humane Animal Shelter, excitedly told the media that the supplies donated by the temple were abundant, diverse in types, and sufficient in quantity. They will effectively help the animals at the shelter and provide significant assistance to the Food Pantry event, where free food and supplies will be provided to cat or dog owners in need by the animal shelter in eleven cities in the future.
Donating a total of 2.5 shelves of daily necessities and food supplies to Friends In Deed non-profit foundation
The main abbot of the New Year's Dharma Assembly, Venerable Shengde Shi Ruohui, expressed that after the epidemic, many industries are waiting to recover, and the society is currently experiencing a period of high inflation, which has caused many families to fall into difficulties. Therefore, more charitable efforts are needed. Buddhism has always advocated protecting life and benefiting others. "Joining Hands for Good Deeds, Warming Hearts" is a very meaningful activity, and many temple organizations have participated. In addition to the event period, everyone is called upon to spread kindness and compassion, help the poor and relieve suffering, and bring warmth and blessings. We should do our best to help those in need anytime and anywhere with a compassionate and kind heart.
The World Buddhist Headquarters and Seicho-ji Temple have always adhered to the teachings of the Third Dharma King, the Great Compassionate Bodhisattva, and have invited believers to join in planting blessings and spreading warmth during the Spring Festival, raising supplies for local food banks, homeless shelters, and animal shelters, and implementing the teachings of the Great Compassionate Bodhisattva. The temple specifically called for: "Helping others is not limited to specific holidays or events. We should extend a helping hand to those in need with a compassionate and kind heart anytime and anywhere."
The "Joining Hands for Good Deeds, Warming Hearts" donation event brings a touch of warmth and care to vulnerable groups and animals through material donations. The temple hopes to have a ripple effect, inspiring more people to participate in community service, so that the general public can work together to help vulnerable communities and create a warm and loving society.
Donating a large number of daily necessities and food supplies, totaling five shelves, to the Heart of Compassion Distribution food bank