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Charity (2006-2014)
Tzu Chi in the USA
1989 – 2014

n October 22, 2012, the storm that would
become Hurricane Sandy started gathering
Ostrength as it ventured north through the
Caribbean. By the time it crashed head-on into New
Jersey, Sandy was being called a “super storm” for its sheer
ferocity. Responsible for over one hundred casualties in
the United States alone, and nearly three hundred total,
Sandy was the deadliest hurricane since Katrina and
the second costliest storm in US history. Sandy affected
twenty-four states, caused sixty-five billion dollars'
worth of damage, left millions without electricity in the
cold of winter, and severely flooded the Northeast. Many
had to evacuate their homes, as hundreds of thousands
of homes were damaged or destroyed, with countless
personal belongings washed away or destroyed.
Though many Tzu Chi volunteers lived in the disaster
zone themselves and were even personally affected, they
still saw the storm as an opportunity to serve others. The
very next morning after the storm, volunteers began
assessing the damage and planning for relief.
At first, they gathered daily at several locations in
New York and New Jersey to provide hot soup, blankets,
and case management services to warm both bodies
and souls. Soon, the response grew into Tzu Chi’s largest
relief undertaking ever. Volunteers held dozens of relief
distributions at locations throughout New York City, Long
Island, and along the Jersey Shore, distributing roughly
ten million dollars in emergency cash aid to nearly
sixteen thousand affected families, while also providing
more than nine thousand eco-friendly blankets, as well
as Jing Si Instant Rice, hygiene kits, and more. This major
relief effort later earned Tzu Chi recognition from the
White House as a Champion of Change and was a key
factor in Tzu Chi’s earning the NVOAD Member of the
Year Award.
Throughout the relief effort, Tzu Chi volunteers
worked closely with churches, local governments,
charities, and other organizations in order to directly

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