Tzu Chi USA Northwest Region

Written by Tzu Chi USA’s Chinese Writers Team and Ida Eva Zielinska

Published #75 | Winter 2024 Issue

➊ Northern California Chapter

On January 24, 1993, Tzu Chi volunteers from the Tzu Chi San Jose Service Center (later upgraded to the Northern California Chapter) pose for a group photo in front of their first rented premises before heading to a farming community to offer their care. In the front row, are Mingchih Chen (left), Mei Wang (second left), Kuohua Huang (third left), “Silicon Valley Grandma” Hsiuchin Lin Wang (fourth left), Taiyu Lin (middle), Lin Meichuan (fourth right), Meiling Hsieh (third right), and Tichung Tsao (right); in the back row, Hsiming Liu (left), Itai Huang (second left), and Fuchia Hsu (third left); and in the car, Sunti Wang. Photo/Tzu Chi USA Northern California Chapter

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San Jose volunteers organize a Thanksgiving holiday event at the Winchester Living Center on November 21, 1992 to cheer up the residents and offer their caring companionship. Photo/Tzu Chi USA Northern California Chapter
On December 13, 1992, second-hand clothes and bedding, and other items donated to benefit those in need, after being cleaned and sorted at the home of “Silicon Valley Grandma” Hsiuchin Lin Wang, are loaded onto a truck for transport to a distribution location. Photo/Tzu Chi USA Northern California Chapter
Hsiuchin Lin Wang, who planted the first seed of Tzu Chi in San Jose and is affectionately known as “Silicon Valley Grandma” in Tzu Chi USA's Northwest Region, interacts with Hispanic farmworkers and hugs their children at the January 24, 1993 winter care distribution in a farming community. Photo/Tzu Chi USA Northern California Chapter
Families experiencing homelessness receive comforters from Tzu Chi volunteers and make their beds at a shelter, now better prepared to face the cold of winter in 1993. Photo/Tzu Chi USA Northern California Chapter
On October 26, 1994, Tzu Chi volunteers from San Jose donate computer equipment to the C.W. Washington Home Shelter and School. In attendance on this occasion are I’tai Huang (left), Kuohua Huang (second left), Mingling Hsieh (third left), and “Silicon Valley Grandma” Hsiuchin Lin Wang (third right). Photo/Tzu Chi USA Northern California Chapter

➋ Fresno Service Center

Yuanling Chang, who planted the first Tzu Chi seed in Fresno, hosts the first Tzu Chi tea party in the city on January 15, 1994, at the John Cho’s Kung Fu School owned by her family. Photos/Courtesy of Yuanling Chang

On July 26, 1998, Tzu Chi volunteers in Fresno hold a tea party at Burger King. Among those hosting the event are Suching Yang (second left), Huichen Hu (fourth right), and Yuanling Chang (fifth right). Photo/Courtesy of Yuanling Chang
The Fresno Service Center leases this building as its office from 2005 until 2022, where Tzu Chi volunteers hold many charitable events that positively impact the community. Photo/Courtesy of Shujen I

➌ Modesto Service Center

The Modesto Office (later upgraded to the Modesto Service Center) hosts its first tea party on February 2, 1997, at the home of Yingli Yang. During the event, Wenwei Hsu shares his experiences as a Tzu Chi volunteer with the guests. Photo/Tzu Chi USA Modesto Service Center
On June 29, 1997, “Silicon Valley Grandma” Hsiuchin Lin Wang (second left) travels from San Jose to Modesto to attend the inaugural tea party of the Modesto Office. To her right is the then head of the Modesto Office, Yingli Yang. Photo/Tzu Chi USA Modesto Service Center

➍ Oakland Service Center

The first Tzu Chi location in Oakland is in the office space that Lichun Ou, a Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner and Tzu Chi volunteer, once used. Photo/Courtesy of Kunkuo Hsu
On March 17, 2002, the Oakland Service Center is officially established. Hsueling Chen, then head of the San Francisco Branch, which is located just across the bay from Oakland, speaks at the celebratory gathering. Photo/Chinchih Lin

➎ Sacramento Service Center

Sacramento volunteers Lingyu Hsu (left), Chujung Chang (middle), and I’che Li (right) go to San Jose in 1994 to visit Hsiuchin Lin Wang, one of the earliest Tzu Chi volunteers in the United States. Before they left, Wang gave them three steamed buns for the drive home, along with the mission of establishing Tzu Chi in Sacramento. Photo/Tzu Chi USA Sacramento Service Center
Hsiuchin Lin Wang, whom Tzu Chi volunteers affectionately call “Silicon Valley Grandma,” shares her experience as one of the early volunteers of the Tzu Chi Chapter in the United States at the first tea party held in Sacramento in 1996. Photo/Courtesy of I’che Li

➏ San Francisco Branch

Tzu Chi volunteers in San Francisco sweep Chinatown streets in their city in 1995. On the team are Anchi Chan (left), Chinchih Lin (second left), Hsueling Chen (third left), Mimi Yang (fourth right), Teming Lin (third right), and Tzuchung Liang (right). Photo/Tzu Chi USA San Francisco Branch
Yuehching Yang (left), Meiling Kuo (second left), Yuhua Huang (third left), Mimi Yang (third right), Hsueling Chen (second right), and Shushu Liang (right), some of the earliest Tzu Chi volunteers in San Francisco, visit the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation’s global headquarters in Hualien, Taiwan, on January 28, 1997. Photo/Tzu Chi USA San Francisco Branch

➐ Santa Rosa Office

The Santa Rosa Office holds its opening ceremony on August 12, 2007. Photo/Tzu Chi USA Santa Rosa Office
Tzu Chi volunteers from the Santa Rosa Office perform The Sutra of Profound Gratitude Toward Parents along with Tzu Chi Collegiate Association and Tzu Chi Youth Group volunteers in 2013. Photo/Tzu Chi USA Santa Rosa Office

➑ Stockton Office

On March 23, 2008, the Stockton Office holds its first tea party for healthcare professionals, where Shuling Lo (left), the first head of the Stockton Office, shares about Tzu Chi. Photo/Tzu Chi USA Stockton Office
On March 23, 2008, at a tea party for healthcare professionals held in Stockton, Chihui Wu (left) and Steven Voon (right) explain the direction and development of Tzu Chi Stockton’s medical mission. Photo/Tzu Chi USA Stockton Office

➒ Ukiah Office

Stationed in the parking lot outside the Mendocino Social Services Office in 2016, Tzu Chi volunteers in Ukiah offer ready-to-go meals to people experiencing homelessness. The people serving that day are Tzungyu Tsui (second left), Johui Hsun (third left), Mike Silveria (middle), Yuanjung Chiu (third right), Tzu Jo (second right), and Chi Yao (right). Photo/Courtesy of Johui Hsun
Tzu Chi volunteer Chiongying Kao, leading the group, and parent Yang Liu, standing to her left, take students from Developing Virtue Secondary School and Instilling Goodness Elementary School to visit Redwood Cove Healthcare Center for the Elderly in 2016. Photo/Courtesy of Maosheng Chang

➓ Reno Office

On April 1, 2001, Tzu Chi volunteers in Reno host a tea party at a community library in preparation and planning for the establishment of the Reno Office, which would take place a year later, on April 29, 2002. Volunteers from the Northwest Region came to assist, including Chengtsung Lin, then Deputy Executive Director of the Region. Photo/Tzu Chi USA Reno Office
Those present at the opening of the Reno Office on July 12, 2003, take a group photo. The first Tzu Chi volunteers in Reno, Chialing Wang (back row second right), Chiayin Lin (front row right), and Linsen Ouyang (front row second right), are among those who attend the event. Photo/Tzu Chi USA Reno Office

⓫

Portland Service Center

The first Tzu Chi location in Portland is in this orange brick building. Photo/Tzu Chi USA Portland Service Center
On June 16, 2001, Hungchiang Wang (left), then head of the Portland Service Center, Hsianhsing Li (second left), who provided the first office space for Tzu Chi Portland, and volunteer Pao Chen (second right), look at a Tzu Chi poster. Photo/Tzu Chi USA Portland Service Center

⓬

Seattle Branch

On November 6, 1993, Tzu Chi volunteers in Seattle hold their first public tea party, with a sign language performance by Kangying Chang (left), Tsungpeng Yeh (second left), Meishan Lin (middle), Fengciao Huang (second right), and Hsiuyun Huang(right). Photo/Tzu Chi USA Seattle Branch
The first Tzu Chi tea party in Seattle is held at the Chinatown Overseas Chinese Cultural and Educational Services Center on November 6, 1993. Photo/Tzu Chi USA Seattle Branch

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