It was the love and inspiration of one woman and an accidental meeting with Dharma Master Cheng Yen that was the motivation for Mrs. Lin-Wang to establish our Tzu Chi USA’s San Jose Service Center in 1993. It also showed how love can easily overcome a language barrier, as Mrs. Lin-Wang spoke no English.

Known fondly as “ah-ma” or “grandma,” Mrs. Lin-Wang also could not drive, but her caring and giving nature were what inspired her to begin her charitable giving initially in her garage.

As we grew, we moved to a new office that was about 1,500 square feet but were able to raise enough money to purchase our own first building in 1998 in Milpitas, CA. We were then able to purchase an even larger 43,000-square-foot facility in Milpitas where we now are reconstructing with expectations to grow our volunteer base even more, which means we can provide even more services to the community.

Mrs. Lin-Wang’s desire and drive to spread the humanitarian teachings of Master Cheng Yen was strong enough to sustain our original small yet impactful service center. It brought in volunteers to partake in the good work that we strive to continue to this day in what is known as our Northwest chapter.

Relief for Recent Wildfires

The Carr Fire was ignited in July 23, 2018 and sparked unimaginable wildfires. It was one of California’s most devastating fires to date, destroying more than 200,000 acres of land and thousands of homes leaving many people homeless and seemingly without hope. We were on-site by Aug. 2 to assessing damage and set up at the Local Assistance Center while working with other organizations, including the American Red Cross.

We registered people who were directly impacted by the fire so they could receive disaster relief and much-needed services to help them get through this difficult time. We shared our compassion and offered our shoulders to lean on as well as our hearts. We continue to offer services to those affected in the area.

Responding to Area Floods

Northern California is home to extreme beauty as well as devastating natural disasters. It was after the February 2017 floods that caused terrible damage that our volunteers were immediately available to provide immediate cash assistance to the victims in order to help them attain a semblance of a normal life.

We welcomed victims of the floods with open arms and made sure they felt loved and supported. Many had lost not only their homes but mementoes that are irreplaceable. We were able to provide them with kind words and understanding to help them get through every step. We also were able to provide relief through our Cash Card program so that residents could purchase the items they needed most.

Our volunteers worked hand in hand with families who came together to help with clean up in the aftermath. When people join together, even in the face of tragedy, it shows how much can be done.