20th Anniversary Charity Celebration of the Huazang Temple in San Francisco "Joy and Kindness, Boundless Love"
Huazang Temple Holds Amitabha Buddha's Birthday Ceremony
[San Francisco News] To celebrate its 20th anniversary, Huazang Temple in San Francisco will launch a month-long fundraising campaign titled "Joy and Kindness, Boundless Love" starting in November 2024, to support animal rescue centers, low-income families, and local food banks. On the morning of December 15, a ceremony for Amitabha Buddha's birthday will be held at the temple, dedicating merits and praying for the flourishing of the Dharma, community harmony, people's happiness, and world peace. Nearly 300 devotees from home and abroad actively participated in the ceremony.
Established on December 26, 2004, Huazang Temple in the Mission District of San Francisco is a Buddhist temple that promotes the teachings of the True Body of the Buddha, the Amitabha Buddha, and the authentic teachings of the Sakyamuni Buddha, the founder of the Saha Buddhism. Upholding the teachings of the world Buddhist leader, Amitabha Buddha, Huazang Temple has been actively involved in various charitable activities over the years, including organizing New Year entertainment activities in nursing homes, assisting with hospital relocations, providing meals for residents in disaster-stricken areas, and holding charity sales to donate all proceeds to disadvantaged groups. The temple hopes that this spirit of "Joy and Kindness, Broadly Sowing the Field of Blessings, A Family Accumulating Goodness Will Surely Have Abundant Joy" can guide the public to actively do good deeds.
During the 20th Anniversary Celebration, the Abbot Shengde Ruohui presented awards to volunteers for their years of dedication and contributions.
During the fundraising campaign, Huazang Temple collected a total of 812 items, divided into three main categories: 1. Animal supplies, including dog collars, leashes, dog diapers, dog treats, dog beds, dog waste bags, dog wet wipes, fleece blankets, pet bags, disposable absorbent pads, totaling 241 items; 2. Baby supplies and cookware, including bottle drying racks, baby onesies, baby bathing supplies, strollers, infant car seats, baby sound machines, play yards, toddler front carriers, air fryers, cookware sets, totaling 211 items; 3. Food items, including white rice, brown rice, pasta, nut butter, canned vegetables, totaling 360 items with a total weight of 2265 pounds.
The monks of Huazang Temple and the Huazang Temple Dharma Protectors Association delivered these supplies on December 11 to Muttville Senior Dog Rescue in San Francisco, the Homeless Prenatal Program (HPP), and the San Francisco Marin Food Bank.
Monks from Huazang Temple and volunteers from the Huazang Temple Dharma Protectors Association donated supplies to Muttville Animal Shelter.
Muttville is the first cage-free animal shelter in the United States and the first nonprofit organization in California dedicated to rescuing senior dogs. Community Manager Angela Di Martino expressed her gratitude upon receiving the donated items, stating, "We are very thankful for Huazang Temple's generous donation. When we saw boxes of donated supplies coming in, we felt incredibly excited and moved. Over the past 17 years, Muttville has rescued nearly 13,000 senior dogs, needing to rescue about 100 senior dogs each month. These supplies are of great significance to senior dogs." Hinojosa said, "We are extremely grateful for the temple's loving donation; we cannot express our joy in words. With these supplies and good medical care and companionship, we firmly believe that senior dogs will safely complete their final journey in life. At the same time, we hope to help these senior dogs find new homes."
The San Francisco Marin Food Bank is a nonprofit organization dedicated to addressing hunger issues in San Francisco and Marin County. They provide emergency food services to the community, set up temporary food pantries, and offer home delivery services to low-income seniors, families, and individuals with disabilities. Community Engagement Deputy Director Rachel Breuer stated, "In San Francisco and Marin County, one in five people faces food insecurity. The food bank has distributed over 60 million pounds of food this year, and we are very grateful for Huazang Temple's year-end warmth; this is a tremendous help to the food bank."
The Homeless Prenatal Program (HPP) is a well-known family support center in the United States, dedicated to helping mothers in need during pregnancy and parenting. Executive Director Shellena Eskridge stated, "HPP serves over 4,000 mothers from disadvantaged families each year, and we constantly tell them, 'You are important, and we care about you.' The temple's donation has given us tremendous help, allowing us to assist more mothers and infants facing life challenges." Bechtol smiled and said, "We are very grateful for the support of Huazang Temple, such a friendly neighbor in the community. We are incredibly moved, and this love will reach families in need, warming their hearts."
On the afternoon of December 15, Huazang Temple held a 20th Anniversary Celebration in the Main Hall, featuring live performances by volunteers singing several classic songs of Amitabha Buddha, cello performances, Tibetan dances, and a raffle, bringing a visual and auditory feast to the attendees.
In the future, Huazang Temple hopes that more people will join the ranks of kindness, spreading love and care together to create a warm, loving, and harmonious society.