Dear Friends,
As we come to the close of 2025, I find myself reflecting with deep gratitude on another incredible year at the Dharma Bum Temple. Each day here continues to remind me of the power of community, compassion, and the peaceful refuge we create together. This past year included many meaningful moments, people connecting, learning, and finding peace in a world that often feels uncertain. I am so grateful for what we have accomplished together and filled with optimism for what is to come.
When we opened the doors of the Dharma Bum Temple in late 2006, our vision was simple: to share the teachings and practice of Buddhism and meditation with anyone who wished to learn. Nineteen years later, that same mission still guides us every single day. After almost two decades of being in this Temple daily, I remain in awe of the love, dedication, and spirit of everyone who makes up this Sangha. You are what keeps this community alive.
Throughout 2025, our weekly meditation classes both in-person and online remained the heart of what we do. We continued to offer Intro to Buddhism, Zen Practice, Loving-Kindness Meditation, Bodhisattva Way of Life, Shamatha and Tonglen Meditation, the Heart Sutra, and our regular Silent Meditation sessions each day at 8am and 12pm. Our Recovery Sangha met daily, offering a vital lifeline and saving countless lives through shared healing and support, which also includes Recovery Dharma every Monday and Friday.
This year, we launched a four-month Facilitator Training Program to strengthen our community leaders, helping more people guide classes, lead discussions, and support others on the path of practice. This program has been a beautiful addition to the Temple.
Our Family Sangha flourished once again, emphasizing mindfulness for parents while creating a nurturing space for children. Our Social Sangha finished strong wrapping up a beautiful program filled with friendships and adventures. Our Dharma Bum Hosts continued to be a bright presence in the Temple, helping newcomers feel welcome, and the volunteers at Buddha for You continued to bring kindness and care to every interaction.
Our Outreach Programs remained strong, bringing compassion into the wider community through our weekly Food Redistribution Program, Prison Outreach at both adult and juvenile facilities, and weekly Recovery Dharma and meditation programs at mental health centers. The Homeless Hats Project, meeting weekly all year, hand-knit over 2,500 warm beanies for our unhoused neighbors downtown, an amazing effort by a truly dedicated group. We also continued supporting PATH (People Assisting the Homeless) and will once again hold our Thanksgiving Food Redistribution Event, feeding those living on the streets of San Diego. And as the year closes, we are launching a new community service clean-up group, offering yet another way to be of service while cultivating friendships.
Our physical space also blossomed in 2025. The transformation of our garden reached a beautiful milestone with the completion of our new Zen Garden, a stunning and serene space open to all. Buddha for You Gifts & Books continues to be a peaceful place for all who enter and need help creating their own sacred space at home.
We once again joined the San Diego Pride Parade, marching with over 60 members of our community, showing proudly that the Dharma Bum Temple is not only an ally but a true spiritual home for the LGBTQ+ community.
As we look ahead to 2026, I want to say thank you. None of this happens without you. The volunteers and practitioners who show up day after day, you are the heartbeat of this Temple. You make it safe, welcoming, and alive. You are the Dharma Bum Temple. Every person who walks through these doors leaves an imprint of kindness that ripples outward more than you will ever know.
Each year, we humbly ask for your continued support to help sustain the Temple’s operations and maintain our historic building. This year’s fundraising campaign will help us complete the historic window restoration project on the Buddha for You side of the building. The estimated cost of this project is $65,000, and our intention is to raise $50,000 to put towards the total cost. These windows are deteriorating and unable to open, thus your support will help preserve this beautiful building for generations to come.
Everything we offer at the Dharma Bum Temple is always free, but maintaining this sacred space takes resources. If you are able, we deeply appreciate any donation large or small. The Dharma Bum Temple is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and all donations are 100% tax-deductible.
I know many of you are recurring monthly donors and we are endlessly grateful for your ongoing support! I hope you may consider a one-time year-end donation as well to support our effort and help us cover these expenses.
WAYS TO DONATE:
***You may donate here via our Facebook Fundraising Campaign: https://www.facebook.com/donate/25032999746318107/
***You may donate via the DBT website here: https://www.thedharmabums.org/one-time-donation
***You may Venmo @dharmabumtemple
***You may donate via PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=MJKTWGTWTACB8
*** You may donate via PayPal Giving Fund: https://www.paypal.com/us/fundraiser/charity/122745
***You may mail a check made out to Dharma Bum Temple to 4144 Campus Avenue San Diego, CA 92103
***You may drop a check in the donation box at the Dharma Bum Temple, either in the main hall or downstairs in the Buddha for You Meditation Hall
It is with deep gratitude that I thank you for your continued support and confidence in our work. Together, we have built something truly meaningful, a living expression of compassion, wisdom, and service that reaches far beyond our temple walls. Your generosity allows us to maintain our programs, care for our historic building, and expand our outreach to those most in need. Your donations are not only an investment in our present efforts, but also in the enduring future of this community and the countless lives it touches.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey Zlotnik
Co-Founder & CEO
Dharma Bum Temple