How to Practice

In November 2016, Ms. S, general affairs director of the New York Dharma Center, gave a lecture on the Donate-a-Meal Movement. Until then, I had only participated in the movement occasionally, whenever I happened to remember. After listening to her lecture, I felt encouraged to try doing it consistently. At that time, I was going through a financially difficult period, so when I had no cash, I would write down ‘$2’ and the date on a piece of paper and put it in the box as a placeholder. Then, when I had cash later, I would put the money in the box. My family also began contributing—whenever they found coins or had spare change, they would put it in the box. I am very grateful that my family started supporting the movement with me.
Through this practice, I have reflected on my lifestyle and learned to value money and material things more carefully.”

Sometimes I did that, but often I found that I would just donate some money at the end of the month towards the Donate-a-Meal campaign. I knew that Rissho Kosei-kai did great humanitarian work during crises around the world, and I wanted to support that.
In 2022 our home was nearly destroyed by Hurricane Ian in Florida. It took many days to get power restored, and even when it was restored the only cooking appliance that survived was our microwave. We ended up eating things like cold beans, canned tuna, and peanut butter for weeks. My husband and I lost weight but were still so grateful to be alive and have a place to rebuild and live. For the first time, I felt the pangs of hunger just a little bit and felt the suffering of those who are marginalized. While I always realized in my head that we are all interconnected and interdependent, I was feeling that now in my heart. Our dear neighbors helped us a great deal during those early days of recovery, and I will never forget the evening they had us over for dinner. It tasted so delicious! It was our first home-cooked meal in weeks, and it was wonderful. I vowed to never forget this feeling of connection with food.
So now when I make my monthly donation to the Donate-a-Meal Movement, I do it from my heart. I may forget to skip a meal that month, but I always remember that I had meals that month, and I want to help those who don’t have anything to eat. I am so fortunate and grateful that Rissho Kosei-kai gives me the opportunity every month to be mindful of my connection with all my fellow living beings who are struggling to survive.”

A single act of giving—whether it’s a can of food, a few hours of volunteer time, or a heartfelt meal offering—can help ensure that no family goes hungry. It’s a reminder that even in times of struggle, compassion can grow and flourish right here at home.
Each year, the San Antonio Dharma Center hosts a food collection drive to benefit the San Antonio Food Bank, guided by the spirit of the Donate-a-Meal Movement. Through the generous support of our members, we fill large barrels with non-perishable food items, contributing to a growing store of nourishment that is distributed to individuals and families facing food insecurity in our area.
Our commitment to this cause deepened during the COVID-19 pandemic. In those challenging years, our sangha members joined a volunteer initiative at a local farm, sponsored by the San Antonio Food Bank. There, we helped plant, fertilize, and tend to garden produce—with our hands in the soil and our hearts in service. This work not only provided fresh fruits and vegetables to those in need but also strengthened our connection to the earth and to each other.
Each month, our membership donates $100 to the San Antonio Food Bank to support the work Rissho Kosei-kai is doing to provide nutritional resources to members of our community.
In addition, after every sangha-wide meal or event, we donate any leftover food to members who are experiencing food insecurity. These efforts reflect the core teachings of our faith: to embody compassion through action and to alleviate suffering wherever we can. We are deeply grateful to be part of a global sangha inspired by the vision and practices of Rissho Kosei-kai, and we look forward to continuing this work hand in hand with our brothers and sisters around the world.
With gratitude and humility.”

Certainly, a short fast does superficially focus the mind (albeit only very briefly!) on what it feels like to be hungry, but plainly, this is nothing like the feeling that someone in real, desperate need has day in and day out. It does, perhaps, at least make us appreciate how fortunate we are, and it helps keep the ideas of donation, empathy, and thankfulness regularly in our minds as we try to keep to the routine.
Another positive fact to mention is that all our donations reach people in need very quickly and efficiently through the Donate-a-Meal channels, which are very skilled at getting immediate assistance to places where there are famines, earthquakes, war zones, and other disasters across the world. We lived in Nepal for some years and always felt close to people who needed a lot of practical help to thrive, so the spirit of the Donate-a-Meal campaign does sit quite comfortably with us.
This is one of the very important practices of the Six Paramitas, and through the Donate-a-Meal program, we feel we can carry out, and hopefully spread, the spirit of donation and pray together for world peace.”

I was introduced to the Donate-a-Meal Movement when I participated in our monthly study group. It was the first time I had heard of such an activity in Cambodia. At first, I wondered whether we could really practice it—but thanks to everyone’s cooperation, we actually did!
Thanks to Rissho Kosei-kai’s Donate-a-Meal Movement, our sangha became a bridge between Cambodia and Japan, which allowed us to carry out social contribution activities in Cambodia. Together, we visited a rural elementary school in Cambodia and provided donations and support to children in need. I was very happy and grateful to be able to take part. Seeing the children’s joyful faces and sincere smiles, and the teachers’ earnest efforts, I was deeply moved. I truly hope that activities like this will continue.
I believe it is very important for Buddhists to connect with society. By helping one another and growing together, I hope we can all live healthy, harmonious lives—both physically and mentally.
Thank you very much for allowing me to take part in the Donate-a-Meal Movement. On behalf of the Cambodian people, I sincerely express my heartfelt gratitude. Thank you always, and I look forward to working with you.”

The concept of a one-meal donation―skipping one meal and donating its value or equivalent food to someone in need―may seem small, but in practice, it can have a significant impact. Last year, I also had a chance to participate in a donate-a-meal activity, and the experience was both humbling and enlightening. When I define hunger in one sentence, I say, “hunger is not just the absence of food―it is a daily struggle faced by millions.”
Once, when the pandemic was going on and life was just stuck, I found many people were struggling for food. I saw that many families could not supply basic food for themselves. At that time, I understood the actual value of food. I would like to salute Founder Niwano for this worldwide initiative. However, I am a foodie! But when I heard Rev. Shimamura, former director of Rissho Kosei-kai International of South Asia, speak during a seminar, I also committed to skipping one meal each month for such a noble cause. I calculate the cost of that meal and donate the amount to our organization.
I am really blessed because I am part of Rissho Kosei-kai of Delhi. We have a good sangha, and our sangha leaders are very supportive. I am really fascinated by the donation activities of Rissho Kosei-kai because we collect member donations, make a plan, receive guidance from our leader, and then receive guidance for implementation from Rissho Kosei-kai. This is the beauty of Rissho Kosei-kai. This is the power of unity.
The process taught me several valuable lessons. First, I became acutely aware of the value of food, and I never leave food on my plate. Skipping one meal does not affect me much, but for someone else, that one meal could mean not going hungry. It shifted my perspective on waste, consumption, and the true value of food.
Second, I witnessed the power of team Rissho Kosei-kai. What started as a personal act of charity grew into a collective initiative. Friends began helping us by donating too, and even our vendor started offering discounts on food. Most importantly, we brought a smile to many faces.
Lastly, the activity deepened my empathy. Interacting directly with the children we helped—sharing happiness, feeling inner peace, and watching their gratitude—made the experience personal and emotionally impactful. I no longer see this as just a donation. It is a shared act of dignity, respect, and solidarity.
Thank you so much!”

To be honest, I couldn’t always skip a meal on my donate-a-meal days, but I never failed to make a monetary donation. Wanting to feel the significance of the practice as deeply as possible, I chose to skip lunch on my donate-a-meal days. I feel the hungriest at lunchtime, since I usually eat very little in the morning and tend to have a light dinner. So, I thought skipping lunch would be the most effective way to understand, even slightly, the suffering of those who live in hunger.
I continued this form of practice until I graduated from Gakurin Seminary. Even after returning to Brazil, I gave this practice much attention in my heart. Whenever I heard news or activities related to the movement in our Dharma center, I paid close attention.
Although I no longer regularly skip meals, I continue to donate, and my awareness of the movement has deepened significantly. Moreover, I’ve become more actively involved in other social initiatives and developed a deeper sense of empathy toward people facing hardship. Whether inside or outside the Dharma center, I now take part in campaigns aimed at promoting solidarity. The sangha of the Brazil Dharma Center has also frequently supported the outreach efforts proposed by my fellow members and me.
I hope to continue practicing donating meals and to further cultivate a heart of compassion. In this world, where loneliness and self-centered behavior are on the rise, I want to do whatever I can to help improve the lives of others. The Donate-a-Meal Movement continues to remind me that there is still hope and that there are many people who care for others and act with compassion.
Thank you very much.”

But I put my intention to donate into practice in another way by helping to hold the Children’s Day party, held every October 12th, at an NGO called Maria e Sininha, an important cultural center that promotes social inclusion in a needy community in Sao Paulo. This event is eagerly awaited by local families, as it offers free breakfast, fruit, and a well-organized lunch for hundreds of people who attend the party not only to have some leisure time with their children but also to eat complete meals prepared with lots of love by the NGO’s volunteers. Even ice cream is distributed, and the children love it!
The main goal of the party is to bring fun and joy to the children, but due to the food insecurity that many families still face in the city of Sao Paulo, the biggest attraction ends up being the free meals offered to everyone. At the end of the party, each child also takes home a new, high-quality toy, along with a bag of goodies, which are not to be missed!
Everything is done with extreme care and attention, and the preparations that precede the event months in advance are very intensive: seeking sponsors, donors, and volunteers who dedicate themselves earnestly so that the party always takes place with lots of joy and tranquility.
I’ve been participating in this event for over fifteen years (even before I joined Rissho Kosei-kai), helping to serve lunch to the guests, but now my main role is organizing the face painting group. It is an activity that brings a lot of joy to the little ones, who feel happy and fulfilled with a face painting of a superhero, their favorite character, or just a colorful butterfly on their cheek.
Although managing the event is tiring and physically demanding, it is deeply rewarding to see so many smiles and full bellies at an event that serves around two thousand people annually. I always take my husband Stefano and our son Samuel, who is now nine years old, to help out. I believe it’s crucial to teach my son the value of giving back and bringing happiness to those in need.
Rissho Kosei-kai has also supported this cause by donating funds from the Donate-a-Meal initiative directly to Maria e Sininha on several occasions, including during the pandemic. This support has enabled the NGO to continue assisting vulnerable families. I am profoundly grateful to Rissho Kosei-kai for their donations and for inspiring me with a sense of what it is like to bring happiness to others.”