Volunteer of the Quarter: The Tzu Chi Foundation

The Tzu Chi Foundation is a global volunteer organization founded in 1966 by Dharma Master Cheng Yen, who witnessed poverty and hunger in Taiwan and wanted to help. So she organized local housewives to contribute .13 of their daily grocery money to share with those less fortunate. From there, Tzu Chi expanded to offer free health care provided by volunteer doctors. Today, the organization has grown to more than five million members worldwide.

"Tzu Chi can be translated to mean helping others with compassion," says Ching Hsia, who leads the Atlanta chapter's efforts at the annual Hunger Walk/Run. "Many Tzu Chi volunteers are actually those who have received help in the past. Because we stay with people throughout their time of need, and tend to their emotional needs as well as their physical or financial needs, they are grateful and wish to give back."

Each March, local Tzu Chi volunteers come out to the annual Hunger Walk/Run to help with the post-event clean up and recycling efforts. "This is one of the biggest events of the year for us," says Hsia. "It's very rewarding to see how many bottles and cans we have collected at the end of the shift."

ACFB Volunteer Coordinator Suzanne Roush describes Tzu Chi as one of the mainstay organizations of the Food Bank. "Not only do they volunteer year after year for the Hunger Walk/Run, but they volunteer every single month in our Product Rescue Center - with care, diligence and ultimate respect. They are one of the bricks of our foundation." In addition to their work for the Food Bank, Atlanta Tzu Chi volunteers join members in other parts of the globe to participate in disaster relief. In fact, Hsia's first experience with the group was helping with Hurricane Katrina relief. "I thought I was just fulfilling hours for my Sociology class," says Hsia. "But I got hooked and I've been volunteering ever since."

Tzu Chi members also give of their time to local elderly. Every Sunday, a group of them visits Buckhead Health &Rehabilitation and Grace Healthcare of Tucker where they sing for the residents. "We sing the most beautiful songs to the residents in both English and Chinese," says Hsia. "Everyone who hears them is very touched."

Although the Tzu Chi Foundation is Buddhist, all people are welcome to participate, regardless of religion, race, age or income. "Tzu Chi is for all of humanity," says Hsia. "We show compassion and respect. We are all equal."