Helping Hands Newsletter
Summer 2020 • Volume 12, Number 2
From Tragedy Springs Hope: Reflections on the Killing of George Floyd
By Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi • The police killing of George Floyd this past Memorial Day has set off a stream of protests in cities and towns across the U.S., and even around the world, united under the banner of “Black Lives Matter.” The murder, captured on video by a passing pedestrian, reveals the horror of racism in its terrible immediacy. Floyd’s dying words, “I can’t breathe,” followed by his silence, leave us shocked at witnessing such a naked display of cruelty taking place in broad daylight in a major American city, committed by an officer of the law.
BGR Provides Food Relief during COVID-19 Pandemic
Over the past two and a half months, beginning in late March, BGR has donated over $45,000 to support communities, both globally and nationally, adversely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
Emergency Relief Assistance to Sri Lanka
On March 31st BGR donated $1,000 to the Karuna Trust in Sri Lanka, which has been distributing parcels of dry rations to poor families hit hard by the strict curfew imposed in the country on account of COVID-19.
Virtual Walk to Feed the Hungry May 24-31
When our New Jersey Spring Walk could not happen in person this May because of the pandemic, our NJ Walk coordinator, Deborah Steincolor, worked in partnership with several East Coast spiritual organizations to create a beautiful series of Dharma events benefiting Buddhist Global Relief and local food pantries.
Poor People’s Campaign: A Digital March on Washington
On June 20 and 21, the Poor People's Campaign will host a virtual march to "address the interlocking injustices of systemic racism, poverty, ecological devastation, militarism, and the distorted moral narrative of religious nationalism." The hope is that by uniting the millions of people who struggle each day just to get by, who lack health insurance, living wages access to clean water, and secure voting rights, we can move forward the moral and political imagination of this country and revive the heart of American democracy.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
During the coronavirus crisis, Buddhist Global Relief is continuing to fund projects providing food, education, and other necessary support to the world’s most vulnerable people. Many of the communities we serve worldwide are experiencing immense need as this epidemic spreads among vulnerable and medically underserved populations. If you have the ability to help, please consider donating to BGR. You can contribute on our donate page or by check mailed to: Buddhist Global Relief, 2020 Route 301, Carmel, NY 10512, USA.
