Mission of Charity

Tzu Chi's mission began with charity work. When the Tzu Chi Foundation was first established in 1966, it started with providing charitable help to the poor.

Tzu Chi's mission of charity is currently divided into six categories:

1. providing long-term help to low-income families;
2. donating rice to low-income families;
3. subsidizing clinical diagnosis and prescriptions;
4. providing medical aid;
5. providing emergency help during disasters;
6. assisting the poor and orphans with funeral needs.

Tzu Chi has been promoting its overseas mission of charity in local countries since the establishment of the U.S. Tzu Chi Foundation in California in 1985 and the subsequent proliferation of its global branches and coordination offices. Master Cheng Yen hopes that, based on the philosophy and method of "self support and use of local resources," Tzu Chi's overseas missions can inspire Great Love and activate local sources of compassion.