Kunzang Palyul Choling in Maryland conducted a clothing drive for Afghan Refugees relocated to our community.
Over Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, the KPC community came together under the guidance of Jetsunma Ahkön Lhamo to support our new neighbors: 52 Afghan refugee families totaling 180 individuals in Montgomery County that desperately need support. Most of the adult refugees were skilled professionals who assisted the US government, but are now unable to work until federal and state agencies provide them with working papers and social security numbers.
In the meantime, these families have nothing but the clothes they were wearing when they arrived here, in a climate very different from the one they left. Many of them had no footwear other than flip-flops — in Maryland, in January, with snow on the way!
The Buddha has taught that wealth and status are ephemeral, and none of us know when our good fortune will run out. As the plight of these refugees shows, poverty can visit any one of us at any time. KPC was honored to be able to help these families in their time of need. Through this donation drive, we were able to provide over 100 coats of various sizes, as well as socks, underwear, hats, diapers, and more. Thank you to everyone who participated for your generosity. By this effort, may all beings be freed from the suffering of poverty. ~ KPC Sangha
