By Randy Rosenthal • The coronavirus has exposed the flaws of our food-supply system in at least two ways. One is by compelling retail food staff–grocery workers and delivery “shoppers”–to put their health at risk. The other is the widespread destruction of fresh food.
What does it mean to act ethically in a moment of pandemic? By responding with compassion, we can lay the foundations for a more equitable society and a more sustainable world.
Through its partnership with Lotus Outreach International, BGR is helping provide poor girls in Cambodia–and their families–with rice support, thereby enabling them to continue their education through high school and even to pursue university degrees.
A BGR project in Peru, with Peruvian partner Asociación Grupo de Trabajo Redes, is dedicated to providing marginalized women with access to vocational educational training, information about their labor rights, and opportunities to find dignified work.
A project with BGR partner Burma Humanitarian Mission funds educations for the children of "backpack medics" who provide needed health care to members of oppressed and persecuted ethnic minorities in the most vulnerable areas of Myanmar.
Today, January 20th, the nation celebrates Martin Luther King, Jr. The words to his “I Have a Dream” speech will be repeated from podiums and in classrooms across the country. But many of the people repeating these words have never heard other King quotes, like this one: “I am convinced that if we are to get on to the right side of the world revolution, we as a nation must undergo a radical revolution of values.”
This year Buddhist Global Relief’s partner Keep Growing Detroit (KGD) celebrated its sixth anniversary of supporting gardeners and creating food distribution pathways to ensure as many Detroit residents as possible have access to nutritious locally grown fruits and vegetables.
Over recent years funding for nutrition has increased and global poverty has been reduced, yet global hunger has still been on the rise. The number of hungry people has risen from 785 million in 2015 to 822 million in 2018. How is this possible? According to this year’s Global Hunger Index, it’s because we’re not efficiently addressing the newer causes of hunger–principally conflict and climate change.
On August 18th, the Uganda Buddhist Centre (UBC) in Entebbe, Uganda, held a solidarity “Walk to Feed the Hungry,” the third such walk organized by the center. The walk was led by Ven. Bhante Buddharakkhita, a Uganda monk who is the founder of the center and a long-time member of BGR’s advisory council.
This winter, BGR chair Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi spent two months in India. During this time he was invited to give the keynote address at a conference on “Buddhism and Women’s Liberation,” held in Bodhgaya on January 30 and 31, 2019, under the auspices of the Maha Bodhi Society of India. Here is a lightly edited version of his address.
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buddhist global relief
2020 ROUTE 301
CARMEL, NY 10512 USA
1-888-852-7579 (MESSAGE ONLY)
connect with us
buddhist global relief
2020 ROUTE 301
CARMEL, NY 10512 USA
1-888-852-7579 (MESSAGE ONLY)
connect with us
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