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Local group could use a helping hand
Calling all kalayana-mittas! Portland Friends of the Dhamma (PFoD) is at a critical juncture in their 13-year history and needs all the support they can get.
For those who may be unfamiliar with PFoD, it's a nonprofit lay-group/Buddhist centre affiliated with Abhayagiri Monastery and the Thai Forest Tradition of Ajahn Chah located in Portland, Oregon. They hosts a number of regular, weekly sitting and study groups, and act as a venue for visiting monastics to teach. PFoD was also instrumental in helping to establish the Pacific Hermitage. Since it's inception, PFoD has been a growing beacon of Dhamma in the Pacific Northwest, operating largely on a shoe-string budget.
Recently, however, PFoD had to move out of their long-time location because the building they've been renting space in for the last 8 years was sold. Currently, they're renting out space at the Dharma Rain Zen Center (DRZC). Unfortunately, this building is also being sold as the Zen Center is going to be moving into a newly constructed building at the beginning of 2014, and it seems there's already a prospective buyer (a neighbor) eager to swoop it up as we speak. The board of directors just wants it sold ASAP; but the abbot, Kyogen Carlson, would really like PFoD to purchase the property and keep it a dharma centre and is willing to fight to try and get the board to sell the property to the PFoD community. And PFoD does need a new (and more permanent) home. It seems like a match made in heaven. The only problem is, PFoD doesn't quite have the financial backing to attempt to make an offer or apply for mortgage at this point.
The PFoD community has been discussing the idea of purchasing the building for the last few weeks now, and with the news that another buyer is already in the running, they've decided that while it's a long shot, they shouldn't let this potential opportunity go by without at least making an attempt. As it stands, they have an extremely short window to raise enough monthly commitments (kind of like public radio's 'sustaining circle') and donations to go to the DRZC's board, make an offer, and try to make this beautiful space their new home.
To help them achieve this goal, they held a special daylong event Saturday, attended by Ajahn Pasanno and the Pacific Hermitage monastics, to act as a kind of benefit and/or fundraiser to help solidify the level of financial support needed for PFoD events and to see if they can really make this seemingly perfect facility their new home. They've already got about 50% of what they estimate they'd need a month to make this work, as well as a few sizable contributions towards a down payment if they make it past the first hurdle, but they could use a lot more help. Obviously, this is mainly directed towards anyone in or near the Portland area who personally benefits (or could benefit) from having a space to practice in and a community to practice with; but I'm sure any support would be appreciated immensely.
If anyone reading this happens to feel inspired to donate anything they can, no matter how little, towards this cause, or would like more information about the specifics (e.g., finances, estimates, etc.), I urge you to contact PFoD ASAP.
For those who may be unfamiliar with PFoD, it's a nonprofit lay-group/Buddhist centre affiliated with Abhayagiri Monastery and the Thai Forest Tradition of Ajahn Chah located in Portland, Oregon. They hosts a number of regular, weekly sitting and study groups, and act as a venue for visiting monastics to teach. PFoD was also instrumental in helping to establish the Pacific Hermitage. Since it's inception, PFoD has been a growing beacon of Dhamma in the Pacific Northwest, operating largely on a shoe-string budget.
Recently, however, PFoD had to move out of their long-time location because the building they've been renting space in for the last 8 years was sold. Currently, they're renting out space at the Dharma Rain Zen Center (DRZC). Unfortunately, this building is also being sold as the Zen Center is going to be moving into a newly constructed building at the beginning of 2014, and it seems there's already a prospective buyer (a neighbor) eager to swoop it up as we speak. The board of directors just wants it sold ASAP; but the abbot, Kyogen Carlson, would really like PFoD to purchase the property and keep it a dharma centre and is willing to fight to try and get the board to sell the property to the PFoD community. And PFoD does need a new (and more permanent) home. It seems like a match made in heaven. The only problem is, PFoD doesn't quite have the financial backing to attempt to make an offer or apply for mortgage at this point.
The PFoD community has been discussing the idea of purchasing the building for the last few weeks now, and with the news that another buyer is already in the running, they've decided that while it's a long shot, they shouldn't let this potential opportunity go by without at least making an attempt. As it stands, they have an extremely short window to raise enough monthly commitments (kind of like public radio's 'sustaining circle') and donations to go to the DRZC's board, make an offer, and try to make this beautiful space their new home.
To help them achieve this goal, they held a special daylong event Saturday, attended by Ajahn Pasanno and the Pacific Hermitage monastics, to act as a kind of benefit and/or fundraiser to help solidify the level of financial support needed for PFoD events and to see if they can really make this seemingly perfect facility their new home. They've already got about 50% of what they estimate they'd need a month to make this work, as well as a few sizable contributions towards a down payment if they make it past the first hurdle, but they could use a lot more help. Obviously, this is mainly directed towards anyone in or near the Portland area who personally benefits (or could benefit) from having a space to practice in and a community to practice with; but I'm sure any support would be appreciated immensely.
If anyone reading this happens to feel inspired to donate anything they can, no matter how little, towards this cause, or would like more information about the specifics (e.g., finances, estimates, etc.), I urge you to contact PFoD ASAP.
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