[Buddha-l] The Levine fund

[Richard Hayes]

Dear denizens,

A while back I forwarded a message about a fund for Stephen Levine and his 
wife to aid them as they cope with ailments. Several of you contacted me 
privately to ask whether the Levine fund is legitimate. Mrs Hayes, who had 
forwarded the message to me, kindly checked back through the chain of 
forwarded e-mails to make sure the appeal was not one of those Nigerian 
scams.

I am sorry to report that it is true that Stephen Levine and his wife Ondrea 
really are ailing and in need of financial assistance, and I am glad to 
report that there really is a fund that has been established to give them the 
help they need and that 100% of the contributions made to that fund will get 
to Stephen and Ondrea. So those of you who felt led to help them out can do 
so without worry of a scam. (The details of how to do so are given at the end 
of this message.) Thanks for being cautious; in these sadly demoralized times 
such precautions are unfortunately necessary.

As a topic for discussion, this appeal for aid for Stephen and Ondrea seems to 
me like it is a sign of things to come. For decades I have been concerned 
about what is going to become of all the people who have opted out of the 
materialistic ruts of modern society and given generously of their time and 
talents as translators, meditation teachers and helpers of well-known Dharma 
teachers, not to mention as workers in various right-livelihood businesses 
and non-governmental organizations. All those people are getting older and 
will soon be needing health care and a source of income to sustain them in 
retirement and perhaps infirmity. In societies in which Buddhism is not well 
established institutionally, there are few Buddhist institutional resources 
to help these people. Perhaps especially in the United States, where greed is 
much more handsomely rewarded than any kind of virtuous livelihood, we could 
see a generation of excellent Dharma workers facing bleak futures. Where the 
hell is karma when you need it, eh? 

-- 
Richard Hayes

To contribute to Stephen and Ondrea Levine:

Mail: Send to: Bread for the Journey, 267 Miller Ave., Mill Valley,
California 94941. In the letter, please enclose a note indicating that
your gift is for the Stephen and Ondrea Levine Fund and in the note
section of your check write "Levine Fund." In honor of the immeasurable
gifts Stephen and Ondrea have given to the family of the earth, Bread
for the Journey has generously offered to manage the fund with 100% of
your donation going to the Levine Fund.

Online: click here and designate the donation to the Levine Fund:
http://www.justgive.org/giving/donate.jsp?charityId=3583&isRecurring=& 
         
Phone: call 415-383-4600 with a credit card number. 

For questions and other means of giving, contact
SorenGordhamer at gmail.com.