BGR Helping Hands Podcast

Welcome to the Helping Hands Podcast. Buddhist Global Relief's Helping Hands Podcast: In 2007 Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi wrote an essay titled: “A Challenge to Buddhists,” where he called attention to American Buddhism’s neglect of the active dimension of Buddhist compassion through social engagement. Several of his students responded to this call and, in 2008, founded Buddhist Global Relief (BGR) under his leadership. Today, the organization has over 50 projects around the world and in the U.S. The projects supported by BGR are focused on combating chronic hunger and malnutrition through supporting mostly community-based programs dedicated to educating poor children, especially girls, sustainable agriculture, livelihood projects, and direct food aid.

This podcast intends to give listeners a chance to learn more about the work and vision of BGR through conversation with our project partners, our advisors, spiritual friends, and other prominent Buddhist teachers who share our vision of engaged Buddhism. We also engage with socially conscious artists and culture workers who support BGR and also play a role in expanding our notion of compassionate action. The podcast’s host Daniel Blake is a Brooklyn-based jazz musician, Dharma practitioner, and BGR’s board member. Helping Hands podcast is not only for Buddhist practitioners but for anyone who recognizes the need for compassion in action in the interconnected world that we are all part of.