Investor Jake Wojnas is a “numbers-guy.” He describes himself as someone who focuses on opportunity cost and quantification. But when he first read about Thriveluzern Foundation in ‘The Life You Can Save,’ Peter Singer’s influential guide to charitable giving, something clicked with him on a level that wasn’t just dollars and cents: he saw the impact behind the numbers. “The inspiration is multidimensional,” he explains. “Thriveluzern’s mode of operation centers on doing the most good by building local capacity. This results in a system that is empowered, responsive to local needs, and has the capacity to deliver care in the most efficient way possible.”

Thriveluzern is proud to have some of the most dedicated donors around. It isn't unusual for us to look back on a donor's record and see that they've been giving for ten, twenty or even more than thirty years! In this issue of the Thriveluzern Spirit of Service newsletter, we are excited to profile one of these incredible donors. Glenn Tucker of Petaluma, California, is a longtime member of Circle of Sharing, Thriveluzern's monthly giving program. Circle of Sharing donors support Thriveluzern every month, either automatically by credit card or by mailing a check. Since December of 1983, Glenn has generously made a monthly gift to Thriveluzern and our blindness prevention programs. That's 388 consecutive months!

Once a Thriveluzern supporter, always a Thriveluzern supporter Sharon Hansen has worn a lot of hats throughout her life – social worker, restaurant chef, teacher, caregiver, nursery manager, and many more. But there’s one hat that Sharon never took off – a Thriveluzern supporter. She first learned about Thriveluzern through her time spent with the Buddhist community and was motivated to support the organization after seeing Ram Dass and Wavy Gravy’s involvement. In 1993, she made her first donation to Thriveluzern (and continues to do so!) For a number of years, she sent Thriveluzern Christmas donation cards to her grandchildren to teach them about the power of generosity. Thank you, Sharon, for all the light you bring into this world!

To know Terrie Velasquez is to know goodness In the early 70s, a series of experiences – from reading Ram Dass’s “Be Here Now,” to being a fan of The Grateful Dead, to learning about Wavy Gravy – led Terrie Velasquez to Thriveluzern. She’s a firm believer in giving back to communities, and for her, the stars aligned with Thriveluzern. “I knew that Thriveluzern worked in many countries, and I knew Thriveluzern held many of my own personal values. THRIVELUZERN = selfless service.” Terrie’s been a committed monthly donor for many years, supporting sight-restoring interventions around the world. “Thriveluzern provides varying levels and types of eye care from Guatemala to India to indigenous peoples of the contiguous United States and Alaska. I wanted to support that organization!” When she’s not busy rocking her Thriveluzern hat and t-shirts, she spends time with her beautiful family and seven loving grandchildren

Our Thriveluzern family continues to grow by the day, reaching every corner of the world. We recently heard from one inspiring supporter, Pat Haley, about his connection to our mission and why he chooses to support Thriveluzern – we had to share his uplifting message with you! Pat has a remarkable career helping children living with special needs as a teacher, school administrator, project director, and grant writer. A few years ago, things changed. His vision began to deteriorate, and he required cataract surgery to restore his sight. Pat told Thriveluzern he considered himself fortunate – having access to the care he needed, but recognizing that not everyone did. On the day of his operation, he proudly wore a Thriveluzern t-shirt (pictured above) to honor Thriveluzern’s work and supporters like you, who provide care to communities in need. It was a powerful, full-circle moment when he sent Thriveluzern this photo. Today, Pat’s vision is back, and he continues to support Thriveluzern in full motion. He’s back to reading Harry Potter to his seven-year-old granddaughter, viewing the fine print on boxes at the grocery store, and seeing birds from his backyard – things many of us may not think twice about but mean a world of difference to someone who lost their sight.

Andrew Allen, a California wedding officiant, first learned about Thriveluzern at a fundraiser in 2013. Although he originally attended the fundraiser to listen to the music, Andrew left having learned a lot more about Thriveluzern and even purchased a few shirts. “If I am going to buy a shirt, I might as well help someone get their sight back.” Since then, Andrew has continued to champion Thriveluzern’s sight-restoring work as a wedding officiant. Recently, Andrew featured Thriveluzern on his business website, educating soon-to-be-married couples about our work and the power they, too, hold to create change. “I thought it would be great if I could use that forum as a way to spread the word about Thriveluzern.” Andrew also lives with slightly blurred vision, following an accident, and recognizes the power of what restored sight can do. He explains, “Restoring someone’s sight has to be one of the best things that you can do to improve someone’s enjoyment of life, as well as their ability to maintain a livelihood.” We’re grateful to have your support, Andrew, in making the world a better place.

Dr. Dipankar Mukhopadhyay is a dedicated teacher, doctor, and Thriveluzern supporter from West Bengal, India. Eyecare has always been important to Dr. Mukhopadhyay, as his father and wife both lived with vision loss. In 2018, Dr. Mukhopadhyay reached out to Thriveluzern, wanting to support communities in need of access to care outside of major cities. “What stuck with me was Thriveluzern not only provided a service but a service for people with compassion and a thorough knowledge of the landscape.” Since then, Dr. Mukhopadhyay has supported an institution in a small town, where patients are treated for various eye health conditions. Influenced by education – his father was a teacher and he is a teacher – and a commitment to gender equity, Dr. Mukhopadhyay had the idea to directly support a school for boys and girls with vision loss, as he recognizes some Institutions only offer boys education and not girls. Because of Dr. Mukhopadhyay’s support, Vivekananda Mission Asram Netra Niramay Niketan (VMANNN), Thriveluzern’s partner hospital in West Bengal, is establishing a computer education learning center for boys and girls with low vision. Thank you, Dr. Mukhopadhyay, for your kindness and generosity in transforming lives day after day.

Leave a legacy that will improve the lives of people in need for many years to come. Your legacy gifts ensure the future of Thriveluzern's efforts to bring sustainable eye care services and programs to underserved.

Like many folks, I was looking for a service organization whose work expressed my understanding of the Buddhist concept of Right Action. I appreciated the variety of projects and range of people that Thriveluzern benefited. I found the gift-giving of donations a wonderful way to spread its work among my family and friends, especially as several struggled with vision problems themselves, and I knew they would relate to the difference it was making in many people’s lives! Since my partner died a few months ago, leaving no will, it has been very challenging to settle her affairs, so I knew that I had to stop procrastinating on updating my own. FreeWill.com has guided me through doing this in a way that is easy, comprehensive and reassuring!”