Zen Peacemaker Affiliate
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Zen Caregiving Project

Our mission is to nurture caregivers and those they care for by teaching skills rooted in mindfulness and compassion while fostering connection and community.
Tell us a bit about how your group was concieved
Zen Caregiving Project, formerly known as Zen Hospice Project, was founded in 1986 to address suffering in San Francisco. Rooted in Zen Buddhist tradition, we began training volunteer caregivers to serve dying residents at two sites of service. Our world renowned volunteer caregiver training has evolved to become the foundation of our Mindful Caregiver. Education which we teach nationally. In 2015, we began taking our unique approach to care out into the world in order to allow caregivers anywhere to benefit from our course offerings.
When did your organization form? January 1, 1987
Tell us about one exciting project, program, or other offering you are currently working on.
About a year ago we created Caregiver Support Circles. These were initiated to address a problem we were seeing among caregivers, namely, isolation. These sessions serve as an enhancement to the courses we lead for caregivers. They are a forum for caregivers to come together and share the story of their caregiving and connect with other caregivers. By providing a space where caregivers are held without judgment or any need to fix, they can feel safe sharing whatever burdens them. As facilitators, we are there to listen and witness. When asked, we provide ideas or approaches that may ease suffering.
How do the Three Tenets inform your social engagement?
Within the context of our volunteer program and our educational program, we teach the value of embracing "Beginner's Mind." We also teach the necessity of looking clearly into the face of suffering in all its forms and being with things as they are with clear attention and an open heart. In everything we do we aspire to serve others and generate merit for the benefit of all beings.
For more information:
Zen Caregiving Project
San Francisco, CA 94102