Dharma Master Cheng Yen established the Tzu Chi Foundation in 1966 in Taiwan.The mission started with Charity, Medical Services, Education and Humanistic Values, and then extended further to Bone Marrow Donation, Environment Protection, Community Volunteerism and International Relief – Known as Tzu Chi’s Eight Footprints.Tzu Chi’s Australian footprints first appeared in Brisbane and Sydney in the early 1990s when members migrated to Australia from Taiwan. The Australian chapter of Tzu Chi Foundation was officially incorporated in 1996 and became a national body in 1999. Since then Tzu Chi Foundation has grown to encompass offices in Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast, and Perth, with over 10,000 supporters Australia-wide. Volunteers offer their free time to serve the local communities. Their regular presence can be found in hospitals, nursing homes, hospice wards, school for deaf and blind children, and homeless centres.
