Treasure Human Life Foundation

Description of Organization

Treasure Human Life Foundation was organized in 2009 around just one Buddhist nun’s observation of an urgent need to address youth homelessness in the community where her hermitage was located. Uninvited to the dialogue and unwelcome in the small, rural town, she nevertheless advocated diligently and raised funds outside the community to house 85 youths until they graduated from high school. 1n the process, she developed a non-local support base. a state licensed culinary training program and along with the kids and 2 staff persons, operated a wholesale bakery supplying bread to more than 15 grocery stores to sustain the program until the youth found independent jobs. The organization’s volunteers also advocated for over 250 non-resident youth at risk. Invitations soon arrived for Treasure Human Life Foundation to share the project’s successes and offer advice to other sanghas who wished to become engaged in their communities with a means to financially sustain their operations; and from that, the opportunity to train others manifested. Seeing the need for a deeper foundation in Buddhist study as well as pragmatic business and skill building, a two-year training program evolved. This two-year program combines practical skill-building with Dharmic wisdom.