Bliss and Wisdom Foundation of Northern California
BWNC History
Our Journey: Decades of Compassion in the Bay Area
From a single seed of wisdom planted in 1990, Lamrim discussion classes were started in early members’ living rooms in 1992. Our community has grown into a diverse ecosystem of compassion and service; it is a testament to collective volunteerism and our founder’s vision.
1996
What began as small reading groups in disciples’ homes evolved into our Virtue Education Program, which nurtures filial piety, kindness, and integrity in the next generation.
2002
We launched our Wide-Benefit Initiatives, beginning with organic produce co-ops. This paved the way for the birth of our Heartland Stores, promoting sustainable and healthy living.
2004
The Northern California Center was officially established in Sunnyvale, marking our transition into a full-time community resource hub.
A Permanent Home for Wisdom
The Dawn of Character Education
A Holistic Approach to Life
2008 - 2011
Practicing Compassion into Environment
We initiated our Compassion in Action programs, including environmental preservation efforts at Half Moon Bay.
2012 - 2013
Sending Our Care to The Elders
We launched our community e-newsletter and introduced the Happy & Harmonious workshop, a monthly program designed for caring for the seniors.
2015 A New Chapter Begin
We officially acquired our current BWNC headquarters in San Jose, creating a sanctuary for learning and a sense of belonging by caring others and the community
2014 Connecting through Music
Hosting the internationally award-winning
Taiwan-based Dream Lotus Chorus and Orchestra performed in Northern California, using the power of music to foster social harmony and peace.
2025 marked the 10th anniversary of our “Enterprise Camp,” which in 2015 aimed to serve as a guiding light and provide community support for professionals in the fast-paced Silicon Valley.
2015 What Journey Takes Us
We launched our youth musical theater and family camping programs. Our commitment to the planet deepened as we began participating in International Coastal Cleanup Day, engaging our members in local environmental stewardship.
2016-2017 Youth & Environment
We acquired the Peacock Villa, a piece of land, which we are dedicating to a future retreat center for long-term spiritual development and life education.
2018 For Future Life Education
As the pandemic swept the globe, we moved our services online and hosted monthly prayer ceremonies to provide emotional support and stability to over 500 families. We prioritized local relief efforts, delivering vegetarian meals to frontline emergency rooms and vaccine clinics.
2020 Finding Peace in Crisis
2021 Service Without Borders
We also launched a long-term partnership with Orchard School to support low-income students through “Back to School” drives, holiday gift drives, and food-pantry programs.
2023 A New Era of Partnership
We expanded our reach to Phoenix, AZ, by offering parenting workshops and healthcare seminars to newly arrived immigrant families. Locally, we partnered with the San Francisco Lions Club and the Anatta Community Foundation to promote sustainable giving and compassionate end-of-life care.
In partnership with Los Angeles’ Little Parrot Farm, which welcomes more than 90 sheep and goats to the Peacock Villa.
2024 A New Chapter Begin
We also celebrated the 5th anniversary of the Mentorship Program, which provides mentorship and career support to young professionals entering the workforce, and featured additional professional talks from sector experts sharing their experiences.
2023 Community with Fun
Partnership with Game Mixer for hosting monthly board game events, creating networking and leisure opportunities for 100+ local young professionals.
Our Cupertino Branch officially opened, serving as a modern hub to deepen local community engagement.
2024 Moving Forward to The Vision
Every December, we continue our “Year-End Warmth” campaign. For the past four years, we have partnered with Sutter Care to support veterans and seniors living with dementia, including our newest project: hand-crafted “fidget blankets” for weather comfort.
2024 Season of Warmth
We collaborate with Tzu Chi USA to support emergency relief for the Southern California wildfire disaster and the Myanmar earthquake. We hosted several charity seminars, including Revocable Living Trusts, Anti-scam awareness, and more, to benefit the local community.
2025
A year of Blooming for Support Communities
To serve our Buddhist community and deepen connections with affinity groups, we hosted a Buddhist Blessing & Consecration Ceremony and a Refuge Ceremony for Pets, offering blessings and refuge for animal companions.
2025 Refuge Ceremony for Pets
We continue our partnership with Little Parrot Farm, welcoming more than 90 turkeys and many other animals to the Peacock Villa for compassion initiatives.
2025 New Home for Turkeys
2025 From Farm to Table with Care
We hosted mini farmers’ markets at our San Jose Headquarters and Cupertino Branch to serve local community members and local farmers, and promote sustainable living.
2025 Healthy Food for the Hunger
We expand our partnership with Orchard School and Second Harvest Food Bank by providing volunteers and preparing nearly 5,000 vegetarian meals during the holidays to support underprivileged families.
2025 Seasonal Greeting and Heading to a Blessful Beginning in 2026
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