It Started With One Food Donation Box

Check out our new van!

KPC Buddhist Relief donations have grown so much we needed a proper vehicle to safely transport them! Thanks to two generous donors, we now have a vehicle equipped to handle the voluminous deliveries of food we provide our nonprofit partners! 🎉

The backstory:

KPC Buddhist Relief began in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, when Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo, Spiritual Director of KPC Buddhist Temple, asked her students to go to the storm-ravaged areas and provide direct relief to victims. KPC continued food relief efforts by stocking a little free pantry in the temple and preparing bagged lunches for local shelters. 

When Covid hit, Jetsunma learned of the food shortages and increasing food insecurity. She began, on her own, making daily donations of healthy foods to local relief partners, including the Upcounty Hub, Shepherd's Table, Poolesville Little Free Pantry and the First Baptist Church of Silver Spring. 

Her donations were so continuous that her students became inspired to support her efforts. In the three years since, KPC Buddhist Relief has started a farm, donating thousands of farm fresh eggs to local food banks and shelters. A grant from Montgomery County Food Council enabled the creation of our Giving Garden which has already produced hundreds of pounds of fresh locally grown produce for our partners.

The support of our many volunteers and donors has allowed Buddhist Relief to commit to providing tons of needed supplies to our partners every week. And now with our new van, we can do so more safely and efficiently!  

But the need continues to grow as well. Help us meet the challenge and keep our neighbors fed!