Check made out to Empty Gate Zen Center
Address to send check:
2200 Parker St
Berkeley, CA 94704

Dear Sangha and friends of Empty Gate Zen Center, We come to you each year asking for your financial support and each year you have responded generously. It is with your (tax-exempt) financial support that we have been able to grow and nurture our Sangha. Without your generosity over the years we would not have been able build our online infrastructure or attend to the physical needs of our buildings.&nbsp; Because of your generosity we have recently been able to put a new coat of paint and re-roof our Temple in Berkeley as well as creating a beautiful pollinator garden with a walking meditation path and fountain outside our Boise Temple. For the past few years, we have been asking for your help in replacing our aging heating and hot water systems at our Berkeley location, and we are now happy to announce that because of your generosity, we have installed a new Heat Pump system. This system provide us with heating, cooling and air circulation for our building. It was much more comfortable in the Dharma Room for our September retreat! We now are embarking on finishing the environmental upgrade of our building by finally replacing our gas fired hot water heater and stove. We ask for your financial support again so that we may complete these infrastructure projects. In order to move from gas to electric, we need to upgrade our electrical service to 200 amps. Once that is complete, we can exchange our old gas hot water heater and stove with a modern, high efficiency electric version. We estimate the cost of these improvements to be approximately $15,000. Please give what you can. Can you give us $108, 250, $500,&nbsp;or more? Each dollar you can donate will be used to help us live our values and help us do our part to combat global warming. 👉 &nbsp;Note: We use Zeffy, a 100% free fundraising platform for nonprofits. Before completing your donation, Zeffy will suggest an optional contribution to support their platform.&nbsp;You can adjust this amount by selecting &ldquo;Other&rdquo; in the dropdown menu. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/hxn9dbuhd/image/upload/v1759262279/wysiwyg/aw0tsq0rkx3ycrbzszsk.png" style="width: 600px; display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; position: relative; max-width: 100%; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; user-select: none; box-sizing: inherit;" fr-original-style="width: 600px; display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable"> Sangha Updates We are now in the final stages of merging Cold Mountain Zen Center, located in Fairbanks Alaska, into Empty Gate Zen Center. Cold Mountain has been a sister Zen Center of Empty Gate for many years, sharing a Guiding Teacher and sitting Saturday morning practice together. For many years members of Cold Mountain have participated in retreats held by Empty Gate. Since the early 2000&rsquo;s Zen Master Bon Soeng has traveled to Fairbanks annually to lead retreats. Our Abbot, Clinton Smith (who lives in Boise) began his Kwan Um practice at Cold Mountain Zen Center. Both boards have approved the merger and we are now integrating our systems and practice schedule. This merger will streamline operations for Empty Gate and for the national office of the Kwan Um School of Zen. Empty Gate Zen Center has changed so much over the past ten years. We now have three physical locations&mdash;Berkeley, Boise, and Fairbanks&mdash;along with a thriving online practice community that includes participants from many parts of the globe. Each week, more than 50 sangha members and friends join together for morning and evening practices, Dharma talks, and interviews. Our mix of one day, weekend, and week-long retreats continue to be well attended, both in person and online. In a world that often glorifies cruelty and egocentric living, our shared inquiry into true nature&mdash;asking &ldquo;What am I?&rdquo;&mdash;while cultivating love, compassion, and the great Bodhisattva Way, becomes an ever more important counterweight to mainstream culture. This past year, our sangha experienced two significant losses. In late 2024, Stuart Resnick&mdash;a member of Empty Gate Zen Center from 1988 to 2018&mdash;died suddenly from a recently discovered heart condition. Without Stuart&rsquo;s dedication and leadership, I&rsquo;m not sure Empty Gate Zen Center would exist today. He served as our longtime treasurer, balancing the books down to the penny. He sat nearly every retreat we held during those years and led Tuesday and Thursday evening practice for decades. His memorial service in May was a joyful gathering of family, friends, and longtime members of Empty Gate.&nbsp; Ed Klopfenstein, a founding member of our Boise sangha, passed away on May 20, 2025. Ed built the Boise website that helps direct people to our and other Buddhist practices within the community. He was always willing to help with any needs during our meditation or work retreats. Ed&rsquo;s steady participation and leadership helped our Boise community grow, grounded in friendship and connection. Both Stuart and Ed were shining examples of how to be part of a living, breathing sangha. They were strong practitioners and generous leaders who gave their time, energy, and financial backing, to support and grow our community. We thank you deeply for the support you have given us in the past. With your generous financial support this year, we can complete our environmentally focused infrastructure update and ensure that all of our practitioners have a warm, comfortable, space for practice. With your help we will have done our part to help prevent the worst outcomes of climate change, for the benefit of future generations. Clinton Smith, Abbot &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Zen Master Bon Soeng, Guiding Teacher,

Hello <span data-custom-variable="{{firstname}}" fr-original-class="fr-deletable styled-tag-chip" fr-original-style="" style="background-color: rgb(248, 248, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(191, 191, 255); border-radius: 4px; color: rgb(42, 42, 196); padding: 1px 8px; font-size: 11px; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: anywhere; user-select: none; box-sizing: inherit;">First name, Thanks to you, we are one step closer to reaching our goal of $15,000. How you&#39;ve helped: We are currently focusing our fundraising efforts on strengthening both our online presence and the physical infrastructure of our locations. Please share this with your friends and family so they know you&rsquo;re supporting a meaningful cause. We look forward to keeping you updated on the successes your generosity makes possible. Empty Gate Zen Center

Hello First name,
 
 Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for registering to fundraise for our cause. Your efforts will make a significant impact, and we are excited to have you as part of our fundraising team. 👏
 
 💡 Here are some tips for sharing your campaign:
 <ol>
 <li>Personalize Your Story: Share why this cause is important to you. Personal stories resonate more with potential donors.</li>
 <li>Use Social Media: Post about your campaign on Facebook, Instagram, X, and LinkedIn. Include the campaign link and a compelling image or video.</li>
 <li>Email Your Network: Send a personal email to friends, family, and colleagues explaining why you are fundraising and how they can help.</li>
 <li>Regular Updates: Keep your supporters informed with updates on your progress and any milestones you reach. This keeps them engaged and more likely to share your campaign.</li>
 </ol>
 Jason Quinn viceabbot@emptygatezen.com 15108458565

Dear Sangha and friends of Empty Gate Zen Center, We come to you each year asking for your financial support and each year you have responded generously. It is with your (tax-exempt) financial support that we have been able to grow and nurture our Sangha. Without your generosity over the years we would not have been able build our online infrastructure or attend to the physical needs of our buildings.  Because of your generosity we have recently been able to put a new coat of paint and re-roof our Temple in Berkeley as well as creating a beautiful pollinator garden with a walking meditation path and fountain outside our Boise Temple. For the past few years, we have been asking for your help in replacing our aging heating and hot water systems at our Berkeley location, and we are now happy to announce that because of your generosity, we have installed a new Heat Pump system. This system provide us with heating, cooling and air circulation for our building. It was much more comfortable in the Dharma Room for our September retreat! We now are embarking on finishing the environmental upgrade of our building by finally replacing our gas fired hot water heater and stove. We ask for your financial support again so that we may complete these infrastructure projects. In order to move from gas to electric, we need to upgrade our electrical service to 200 amps. Once that is complete, we can exchange our old gas hot water heater and stove with a modern, high efficiency electric version. We estimate the cost of these improvements to be approximately $15,000. Please give what you can. Can you give us $108, 250, $500, or more? Each dollar you can donate will be used to help us live our values and help us do our part to combat global warming. 👉  Note: We use Zeffy, a 100% free fundraising platform for nonprofits. Before completing your donation, Zeffy will suggest an optional contribution to support their platform. You can adjust this amount by selecting “Other” in the dropdown menu. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/hxn9dbuhd/image/upload/v1759262279/wysiwyg/aw0tsq0rkx3ycrbzszsk.png" style="width:600px;display:block;vertical-align:top;margin:5px auto;text-align:center;position:relative;cursor:pointer;padding:0px 1px;user-select:none;box-sizing:inherit;max-width:100%" /> Sangha Updates We are now in the final stages of merging Cold Mountain Zen Center, located in Fairbanks Alaska, into Empty Gate Zen Center. Cold Mountain has been a sister Zen Center of Empty Gate for many years, sharing a Guiding Teacher and sitting Saturday morning practice together. For many years members of Cold Mountain have participated in retreats held by Empty Gate. Since the early 2000’s Zen Master Bon Soeng has traveled to Fairbanks annually to lead retreats. Our Abbot, Clinton Smith (who lives in Boise) began his Kwan Um practice at Cold Mountain Zen Center. Both boards have approved the merger and we are now integrating our systems and practice schedule. This merger will streamline operations for Empty Gate and for the national office of the Kwan Um School of Zen. Empty Gate Zen Center has changed so much over the past ten years. We now have three physical locations—Berkeley, Boise, and Fairbanks—along with a thriving online practice community that includes participants from many parts of the globe. Each week, more than 50 sangha members and friends join together for morning and evening practices, Dharma talks, and interviews. Our mix of one day, weekend, and week-long retreats continue to be well attended, both in person and online. In a world that often glorifies cruelty and egocentric living, our shared inquiry into true nature—asking “What am I?”—while cultivating love, compassion, and the great Bodhisattva Way, becomes an ever more important counterweight to mainstream culture. This past year, our sangha experienced two significant losses. In late 2024, Stuart Resnick—a member of Empty Gate Zen Center from 1988 to 2018—died suddenly from a recently discovered heart condition. Without Stuart’s dedication and leadership, I’m not sure Empty Gate Zen Center would exist today. He served as our longtime treasurer, balancing the books down to the penny. He sat nearly every retreat we held during those years and led Tuesday and Thursday evening practice for decades. His memorial service in May was a joyful gathering of family, friends, and longtime members of Empty Gate.  Ed Klopfenstein, a founding member of our Boise sangha, passed away on May 20, 2025. Ed built the Boise website that helps direct people to our and other Buddhist practices within the community. He was always willing to help with any needs during our meditation or work retreats. Ed’s steady participation and leadership helped our Boise community grow, grounded in friendship and connection. Both Stuart and Ed were shining examples of how to be part of a living, breathing sangha. They were strong practitioners and generous leaders who gave their time, energy, and financial backing, to support and grow our community. We thank you deeply for the support you have given us in the past. With your generous financial support this year, we can complete our environmentally focused infrastructure update and ensure that all of our practitioners have a warm, comfortable, space for practice. With your help we will have done our part to help prevent the worst outcomes of climate change, for the benefit of future generations. Clinton Smith, Abbot                          Zen Master Bon Soeng, Guiding Teacher,

Supporting Empty Gate Zen Center 2025

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Empty Gate Zen Center

### Context Profile for Empty Gate Zen Center

1. **Organization Mission & Cause**:
   - **Mission**: Empty Gate Zen Center is dedicated to providing a space for Zen practice and community engagement. Their mission emphasizes the cultivation of love, compassion, and the Bodhisattva Way, countering mainstream culture's focus on cruelty and egocentrism. They aim to support practitioners in their inquiry into true nature and foster a supportive community (Sangha).
   - **Cause**: The organization focuses on environmental sustainability and community well-being, as evidenced by their recent infrastructure upgrades aimed at reducing their carbon footprint.

2. **Type of Activities**:
   - **Events**: Regular morning and evening practices, Dharma talks, and interviews are held weekly. They also organize one-day, weekend, and week-long retreats, both in-person and online.
   - **Fundraising Campaigns**: The recent campaign titled "Supporting Empty Gate Zen Center 2025" aims to raise funds for infrastructure improvements and environmental upgrades.
   - **Community Programs**: The center has three physical locations (Berkeley, Boise, and Fairbanks) and a thriving online community, which allows for global participation in Zen practices.

3. **Tone of Voice**:
   - The tone is **friendly**, **inspiring**, and **supportive**, with a sense of urgency regarding environmental issues. The language is accessible and warm, encouraging community involvement and support. Phrases like "we thank you deeply for your support" and "please give what you can" reflect a heartfelt approach.

4. **Emoji Usage**:
   - The organization does not prominently use emojis in their communications. The tone is more formal and reflective of traditional Zen practices, focusing on clarity and sincerity rather than casual or playful expressions.

5. **Key Facts**:
   - **Founding Info**: Specific founding details are not mentioned on the website, but the organization has a long-standing history, with significant community involvement since at least the late 1980s.
   - **Scale**: The center operates three physical locations and has a global online community. They have a dedicated Sangha with over 50 members participating in practices weekly.
   - **Impact Metrics**: The organization has successfully completed various infrastructure projects, such as installing a new heat pump system and creating a pollinator garden, which reflects their commitment to environmental sustainability.
   - **Volunteer Info**: The website highlights the importance of community members' contributions, both financially and through active participation in events and retreats.

6. **Writing Guidelines**:
   - Use a **friendly and supportive tone** that reflects the community-oriented nature of the organization.
   - Incorporate **calls to action** that encourage donations and participation, emphasizing the impact of contributions.
   - Maintain a **clear and concise style**, focusing on the benefits of community involvement and the importance of environmental sustainability.
   - Avoid casual language or emojis; instead, use respectful and sincere expressions that align with Zen principles.

This context profile provides a comprehensive understanding of Empty Gate Zen Center, enabling AI assistants to generate personalized and relevant content that aligns with the organization's mission and values.

Empty Gate Zen Center

Supporting Empty Gate Zen Center 2025

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