Dharma Bum Temple Year-End Fundraiser

Dear Friends,

As we come to the end of 2022, I look back on what has been a very challenging yet tremendous year at the Dharma Bum Temple. We have overcome so many obstacles during the pandemic, serving the community when it needed us the most. We were forced to be resilient and ensure that we continue to provide a safe space both in-person and virtually for all who benefit from our programs. As we finish this year, I can comfortably say we have successfully returned to a full schedule in-person at the Dharma Bum Temple and grown our virtual Sangha for those around the globe.

We began 2022 with an eager anticipation to return to normal, whatever normal even means these days. However, we quickly had to close for two months as the Omicron virus was spreading rapidly, especially here in San Diego. We opened our physical doors once again in March of this year and have been open ever since. I have been in this Temple every day for the past sixteen years and I have never seen or felt the pain people carry with them as they do now. It has been a very heavy two years and I am incredibly grateful for the love and strength of this Sangha that has helped us all get thru each day.

Throughout 2022, we continued to offer our weekly meditation classes in-person and virtually including Intro to Buddhism, Loving-Kindness Meditation, Dharma Bum Basics, Tonglen Meditation and Zen Practice. We have been able to offer our daily morning meditation both in-person and virtually. Our Recovery Sangha has been a steady rock for those who battle addiction, meeting multiple times a week both virtually and in-person. We introduced new Dharma Bum Volunteer Hosts who have been a welcome addition to the Temple. Our college group Delta Beta Tau stayed strong virtually and now back in-person at SDSU meeting twice a week with 25 new members and about 75 students meeting weekly for meditation. Our Family Sangha gathers once a month in-person to be a support system for the parents and kids, while also holding social gatherings outside the Temple. The Homeless Hats Project met weekly all year making beanies (warm hats) to pass out to the people who live on the streets of downtown San Diego. This group led by an awesome volunteer team knitted nearly 1,000 hats for the homeless.

Heading into 2023 we will have some new programs and the return of some old programs. The Afternoon Video Dharma Program will return, a new Engaged Buddhist Program will be implemented, visiting guest Dharma Teachers will return, more social events for the community to gather will be on the calendar and I am thrilled to share that we will be bringing back the Food Redistribution Program feeding the homeless. This Thanksgiving we will have our annual Food Redistribution Event and in January, we will return to our weekly Thursday at 5pm Food Redistribution Program.

As we wrap up 2022 and look forward to 2023, I say thank you! None of this could have been done without the endless effort of the volunteers that are the heartbeat of the Dharma Bum Temple. Every day people who enter this Temple touch the lives of so many others. You are the ones that make this place so incredible. You are the ones that make this place feel safe. You are the ones that make this place live and breathe. You are the Dharma Bum Temple. Thank you for making everything this past year possible, we are forever grateful!

At the end of each year, we look to you the community to make donations to help us sustain monthly expenses and pay down the debt of the building. This year however we are raising money to pay the remaining balance on the new roof. We still owe $35,000 and it is our intention to raise this money between now and the end of the year.

Everything we do at the Dharma Bum Temple is free, however we have a lot of expenses and building debt, so I hope you will consider making a donation of any amount. The Dharma Bum Temple is a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organizations and all donations are 100% tax-deductible.

I know so 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 pay off the balance of the roof.

WAYS TO DONATE:

***You may donate here via our Facebook Fundraising Campaign as there are no fees: https://www.facebook.com/donate/2061385430916301/

***You may donate via the DBT website here: https://www.thedharmabums.org/one-time-donation

***You may Venmo @DBTsdsu (we changed the handle, but this donation will go to the Temple)

***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

It is my incredible honor to be of service to this community. Your continuous support is deeply appreciated and I thank you! Our intention has always been to build a safe place to study and practice Buddhism while coming together as a community. I am beyond proud of everyone who works so hard to make this little Dharma Bum Temple such a special place!

Yours in the Dharma,

Jeffrey Zlotnik

Co-Founder & CEO

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