What is it?

The Dana Club is a group of sangha members who get together to practice “dana” or
selfless giving by going out into the community and donating their time and effort toward
helping those who are in need of assistance.

Why Form a Dana Club?

“Dana” is one of the six paramitas that we consider to be important in our Jodo Shinshu
Buddhist tradition. By organizing in a group, we are able to provide more support to a
variety of organizations, while enjoying the camaraderie of working together with fellow
sangha members. By having a large pool of people in the club with a variety of skills,
we are able to provide support to many different organizations. We will be sharing the
joy of helping those who are less fortunate or are temporarily in need of help.

Who can join?

Any sangha member who has a desire to donate their time and/or monetary
contributions to help others can join. There are no minimum age requirements,
however, some organizations that we decide to support may impose their own
requirements. There are currently 92 members in the club.

Are Members Obligated?

No, by joining the Dana Club, you are simply indicating your desire to practice “dana”.
As a member, you will be informed by email of when and where the various activities
will be held, and at that time you can decide if you would like to help with that activity.
We recognize that people have their own jobs, families and activities and will not be
available for every Dana Club project. Members pick the activities that they are
interested in. There are no meetings, no dues and all communication is via email.

What Types of Projects?

The types of organizations we support include: Second Harvest Food Bank, Rebuilding
Together, RAFT, Yu-Ai Kai, InnVision, Habitat for Humanity, Special Olympics, Sacred
Heart Community Services, food kitchens, etc. The club will decide as a group on
which organizations we would like to support. There are sure to be many other
organizations that could use our help. Members can initiate new activities that they feel
are appropriate for our support.

How Do I Join?

See, call (408-371-7143) or email Al Hironaga (ahironaga@hotmail.com), who is the
coordinator for the club. You can also leave a note with your name and telephone
number at the temple office for him. An advantage in being a member is that you will
receive emails of temple notices and activities sent out to all Betsuin organizations.