Tzu Chi USA, also known as the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, is hosting a 5K charity walkathon where participants are encouraged to walk and raise funds for medical and education initiatives
SAN DIMAS, CA, March 17, 2022 – On Saturday, April 16, 2022, the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, better known as Tzu Chi USA, is hosting the Compassion in Action: 2022 Tzu Chi Walkathon in San Dimas, CA. Its goal is to gather participants for a 5K while enabling them to fundraise as individuals or teams for two important causes: medicine and education.
The family-friendly event comes just over two years since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, where a majority of Tzu Chi USA’s in-person events had been canceled or drastically changed. It is an opportunity to safely gather all members of our community and enjoy the outdoors, to reconnect with one another, and to unite for a common cause.
The 2022 Tzu Chi Walkathon will take place at Tzu Chi USA National Headquarters Campus in the Walnut Creek Community Regional Park (located at 1100 S Valley Center Ave, San Dimas, CA 91773) from 9:00AM – 2:00PM. The event will include performances at the finish line, a sizzling vegetarian food market, exhibition booths*, and raffles (including prizes like an Apple Watch, iPad, flight tickets, and more).
Participants from across the Greater Los Angeles area are encouraged to come. To register and begin fundraising, please visit our website for instructions and see this handy video tutorial to get started.
Walk With a Purpose
In the area of medicine, raised funds will help expand free and equitable holistic healthcare access across uninsured and underinsured populations. This will be done by bolstering Tzu Chi USA’s free medical outreaches; mobile health services (especially in remote areas); high-quality dental care; and full-service vision care.
As for education, donations will strengthen the ongoing development of Tzu Chi USA’s character education curricula, operations at Tzu Chi schools in California, a new Teacher’s Development and Training Center, a new Environmental Protection Education Center, as well as the Tzu Chi Continuing Education Center for Humanistic Culture.
Background on Tzu Chi’s Medical Mission
Since 1993, Tzu Chi USA’s medical mission has provided patient-centered care to underserved populations. At Tzu Chi Health Centers, which received FQHC Look-Alike Status in 2020, we see an average of 25,000 patients annually. Outreach and mobile services, which extend our services to communities where we are not permanently located, see an average of 10,000 patients a year.
While the pandemic has disrupted much of this work, we continued to see nearly 11,000 patients at our Health Centers and nearly 15,000 patients during mobile and outreach events nationally. At the same time, our focus shifted to the procuring and distribution of PPE, exceeding $5,300,000 worth of PPE. We also joined in on national COVID-19 vaccination efforts, with our mobile units having administered doses for 5,852 patients alone. In total, our mobile fleet now consists of 10 units. 3 are currently stationed in South El Monte, CA, 4 in Fresno, CA, 1 in San Jose, CA, and 2 in NY. A brand new mobile vehicle is slated to be added and stationed in Las Vegas, NV.
Background on Tzu Chi’s Education Mission
Currently, the Tzu Chi Education Foundation operates 5 schools nationwide, with 359 students now enrolled. They each employ character education curricula, where, in addition to academic performance, lessons in character building are part of everyday learning. While many students struggled in many ways through the pandemic, Tzu Chi’s signature character education curricula are perfectly designed to help students navigate complex emotions and life experiences through the guidance of trained teachers and supportive school staff, offering children benefits that extend far beyond the classroom and into their homes and communities.
We would like to recognize our generous corporate sponsors: Auto Genius Insurance Services, Airsoft Wholesaler, Inc., BAZIC Products, Cathay Bank, Condor, JDI Hardware USA Corporation, Joanna Tan Consultancy, Just Right Insurance Solutions, L.L.C., Furniture of America, Lo & Lo, LLP, A+ Realty and Mortgage, Pacific Champion Service Corporation, Sun’s Global Trading, Inc., Tzu Chi Medical Foundation Staff, Wei-Chuan, 橙縣聯絡處, and 美國總會內陸和氣實業家團隊. Our generous individual donors include Audrey Huang, Cici Liu Chang, Dr. Hai-Sou Chen & Linda Sun, Tim & Lucy Chang, and Dr. William & Mary Keh.
The Stephen & Lydia
Charitable Foundation
Everlin
Enterprise Inc
Joanna Tan
Consultancy
Kuolin San Gabriel Llc
Sun’s Global
Trading Inc
Airsoft
Wholesaler Inc
Fortune
Dynamic Inc
Lang Young
Food Co LTC
Creative Baby Inc
Ginling Int’l
Foundation
Inland Empire Renewable
Energy Regional Center
Orex Motorsports
Pacific Champion
Service Corporation
RJ Group Inc
The Gouk/Shen
Family Trust
橙縣聯絡處
Buddhist Tzu Chi
Education Foundation
Care Mission
Chinese Restaurant
Asso. of Arizona
Cosmetic Palace
Everfresh Seafood
Company
Goldstar Financial and
Insurance Service Corp
Hakka Foundation
KT Jewlery
Phoenix Buddhist
Association
Prance Llc
Sunny Hills
Foundation
Universal Funeral
Chapel
Athens
Services
Audrey Huang
Caryn Hsu
Dr. Ho-Yi Tu
美國總會內陸和氣實業家團隊
Cici Liu Chang
Dr. Hai-Sou Chen & Linda Sun
Dr. Ho-Yi Tu
Dr. William &
Mary Keh
Lucy Hsu
Tim & Lucy Chang
To register for the 2022 Tzu Chi Walkathon in San Dimas, CA and begin fundraising, please visit tzuchi.us/walkathon. To register and walk in your city, visit our website and click “Walk in Your City.”
To donate directly, make a contribution here:
*Among those exhibiting is BeTheMatch. In support of Caryn Hsu, a member of the extended Tzu Chi Family who has been diagnosed with leukemia, Tzu Chi USA is proud to partner with BeTheMatch to raise awareness of bone marrow donation, rally new donors to the registry, and help save lives.
About Us
The Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation is a global non-profit humanitarian organization founded in 1966 by a Buddhist nun named Dharma Master Cheng Yen in Taiwan. Its missions of medicine, charity, education, and humanistic culture has brought relief to 127 countries and counting. In 1989, Tzu Chi USA was established and now has 62 offices across the US. The heart of Tzu Chi is embedded in its name: in Chinese, “tzu” means compassion and “chi,” relief.
Media Contact
Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation
Anik Ghose
Email: [email protected]
