PHILIPSBURG:--- Dedicated volunteers of all ages affiliated with the Tzu Chi Foundation, St. Maarten, recently found themselves on the receiving side of a donation appeal following a fundraising event in Back Street on March 1 and March 3, 2025.
The Buddhist compassion relief organization is more used to giving to the St. Maarten community than receiving; however, the group turned the tables on their charity efforts when they appealed to merchants and shoppers in the heart of town to make kind donations in support of the foundation’s charity work on St. Maarten.
It is the first outing of its kind for Tzu Chi since opening its new calendar year in February, and Tzu Chi Commissioner Sandra Cheung says it won’t be the last.
“Although each month we receive generous supplies from the Tzu Chi Foundation headquarters to distribute to the poor and less fortunate on St. Maarten and other Caribbean islands, it is still good that the organization and other Tzu Chi foundations in other countries around the world can also see St. Maarten’s communities also looking after their own by supporting Tzu Chi efforts locally.
Sandra says Tzu Chi follows the teachings of Master Cheng Yen, recognizing that one of the greatest challenges in the world is that there are too few good people to call upon.
“To make a lasting impact, we must actively recruit more kind-hearted individuals to join Tzu Chi and create opportunities for them to participate in meaningful acts of compassion,” says the Tzu Chi commissioner.
She says while appealing for donations from merchants and shoppers, volunteers also took the opportunity to educate merchants and members of the public about the charity and philosophy of Tzu Chi and Master Cheng Yen’s teachings, hoping they would be interested enough to volunteer their time to the organization.
“We started off with a very small group of committed volunteers of all ages who went out not only to collect donations but also to spread the message of kindness, inspiring others to give and planting seeds of goodness in our community,” said Sandra.
She said many store owners were deeply touched by the events and praised several volunteers for facing their personal fears of interacting with the public in the interest of promoting the fund-raising and public awareness event.
Sandra is grateful for the kind donations over the two days, which amounted to $449.21 in total, stating that it is a good enough start to encourage Tzu Chi volunteers to continue the fundraising initiative each month to “ensure that more people have the chance to do good, experience the joy of giving and cultivate compassion in their hearts”.
“We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all who participated, donated, and supported this meaningful effort. Together, we can build a more compassionate and harmonious world,” says the Tzu Chi Commissioner.
For more information about Tzu Chi St. Maarten and how to get involved, please contact Sandra Cheung @+1 721 586 3019. or Contribution to Tzu Chi's account: WIB US Account #21932201
