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Quarter Century of Compassion
Charity (1989-1997)
Tzu Chi in the USA
1989 – 2014

On January 17, 1992, New York volunteers provided free haircuts to more
than one hundred elderly residents of a Staten Island senior home.

Taiwan on board overturned near the Hoover who most needed the assistance. This assistance
Dam. Several passengers died, and the rest included not only scholarships, but uniforms,
were injured. Volunteers immediately mobilized stationery, backpacks, and more. At the time,
to deliver relief cash, provide interpretation this was the top quality school in Tijuana, and
services, and help fill out death certificates and it prompted local government officials to speed
arrange memorial services. up the process of building a high school for the
In February 1995, as Tzu Chi volunteers local community.
from the United States were holding a relief In these early days, Tzu Chi also established
distribution outside Tijuana, Mexico, they scholarship programs to help exceptional young
discovered that the local community had only students of all races to have access to higher
one school, which leaked when it rained. So, they education. With their continual contributions
decided to build a new school. The new Morita in local communities and their dedication to
Tzu Chi Elementary School was completed in providing relief when disasters strike, in a few
November 1996. After it opened, Tzu Chi began short years volunteers firmly stamped Tzu Chi’s
annually sponsoring three excellent students footprint on U.S. soil.

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