EMC Service Projects
& Compassionate Action
EMC has been a 501 C3 since 2008. In that time, we have contributed significant monies, time and efforts to local and global organizations that provide essential services to those in need.
In 2026, we are devoting time and resources to food insecurity, food injustice and supporting those in greatest need, including our elder population. Please review the volunteer options below and select any and all of those that inspire you.
Compassionate action is an essential component of one’s spiritual path and mindfulness practice. EMC Sangha is whole-heartedly committed to these compassionate action projects as dana paramita (generosity/good-will) in action.
If you’d like more information, please contact these persons:
Jim Sinclair for San Diego Food Bank Weekly Truck Delivery:
Wed. 9:45 AM - MEET AT JIM’S: 3545 Santoro Way, SD 92130
jmysin1@aol.com, 858-699-4679
Lisa Talamini for St. Andrew’s Food Pantry and World Central Kitchen
lisatalamini@gmail.com, 760-450-8413
Lynn Stine for Fill-A-Belly
stinelynnann@gmail.com, 858-245-1478
Greg McBain for San Diego Food Bank Monthly Distribution
gregory.mcbain@mac.com, 619-838-1095
Diana Shimkus for ElderHelp
diana@everydaymind.com, 760-310-2920
Volunteer Sign-up Form
UPCOMING COMPASSIONATE ACTION
ST. ANDREW’S FOOD PANTRY
TUESDAY, MARCH 10th, 12:00pm
PLEASE CONTACT: LISA TALAMINI@LISATALAMINI@GMAIL.COM
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FILL-A-BELLY
THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 2026
UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
6:00-7:30 PM
ALL FOOD ITEMS NEEDED FOR THIS EVENT
PLEASE CONTACT LYNN STINE: (858) 245-1478
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NORTH COUNTY FOOD DISTRIBUTION
6:00-7:45 PM
GREG M. FOR MORE INFO: gregory.mcbain@mac.com
SAN DIEGO FOOD BANK
SERVICE: THURSDAY; JANUARY 22, 2026
EMC Board and Sangha with your generous and critical support
has raised $10,000 for
THE SAN DIEGO FOOD BANK this year.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CARE AND YOUR GENEROSITY.
The EMC board decided to ask our community to consider making a special donation to the San Diego Food Bank. The Board authorized up to $5,000 matching donation, which would result in a total donation of $10K. As many of you already know, Federal funding for local food funds through the USDA have been drastically cut. The Food Bank estimates it will be losing $3.5 million in federal funding this year. This represents 1.5 million meals which is a major portion of the Food Banks funding. Locally here in Encinitas, St Andrews Church, which provides meals for up to 200 families per week, has a major portion of their food donations that come from the SD Food Bank. The overhead for the SD Food Bank is 7 percent, meaning 93 cents for every dollar they receive, is directly provided as food to the San Diego area. This is impressive, and so I think any donation we decide to give will be well spent and have a meaningful impact.
Given the gravity of our times and the recent reduction of essential funds from the Federal Govt. to
THE SAN DIEGO FOOD BANK,
EMC IS COMPELLED based upon our primary mission of compassionate action and way of being,
to direct our compassionate care efforts to support the SD Food Bank,
which provides all food pantries in the SAN DIEGO COUNTY area
with food items for those with food insecurity.
http://www.encinitasmindfulness.org/emc-giving
EMC LOCAL AND GLOBAL
Compassionate Action (2026)
World Central Kitchen
Link https://www.wck.org
What They Do:
WCK responds to natural disasters like hurricanes, wildfires, tsunamis and volcano eruptions. They also provide meals for refugees at the US border, Venezuelan families and civilians in war zones like Gaza and Urkraine, as well for Tropical Storms Ernesto and Beryl. Its approach is to act quickly, listen to communities and adapt in real time to work with local organizations, restaurants, food trucks, and emergency kitchens to prepare and serve meals to survivors. WCK also prioritizes purchasing local ingredients to cook with or distribute to families in need, which as of May 30, 2024, World Central Kitchen (WCK) has served over 400 million meals to families affected by natural disasters and humanitarian crises.
3. Ranking
Charity Navigator’s score is 100%, earning a Four-Star rating for its assessment of financial health (efficiency, sustainability, trustworthiness) and governance practices and policies, as its program expense ratio of 95.6%, earning a 25/25 point rating.
4. What They Are Doing Now
As of May 2024, WCK is focused on providing meals to families affected by humanitarian and natural disasters in Gaza, Lebanon, Ukraine, and Brazil. In Gaza, WCK has > 60 kitchens cooking meals – as of April, 43 million meals had been distributed. In Ukraine, WCK continues to provide hot meals, food kits and place to get warm for families in need
BECOME A SUSTAINING MEMBER of EMC SIGN-UP ON PATREON
THERE IS NO BETTER TIME FOR COMPASSIONATE ACTION
THAN THIS MOMENT!!
THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP AND SUPPORT.
At this time, EMC is offering weekly online and live/in-person sittings on most Saturdays!
Our zoom meeting #: https://zoom.us/j/4909809719 is to offer refuge, practice and to dedicate our practice merit to the well being of all beings.
Please go to OFFERINGS tab to review our current weekly schedule.
It is the goal of EMC to offer as much support, refuge and practice
opportunities as possible so that all may benefit.
JANUARY-MARCH 2026 WEEKLY PRACTICE:
TUESDAYS, 7:00 am - 8:30 am - Di guides
THURSDAYS, 7:00 am-7:30 am - Greg M. guides
SATURDAY SANGHA, 7:30 am - 9:00 am GARDEN OPTIONS/ZOOM
SUNDAY MORNINGS: 8:00 - 8:30 AM - DEA, DENISE AND JESSICA GUIDE
EMC SAT. SANGHA ZOOM AND GARDEN MEDITATIONS
NEXT GARDEN/ZOOM PRACTICE: SATURDAYS, JANUARY 17, 24, 31;
di guides
EMC has designated the following organizations for on-going financial and service support through donations of time, goods, money and the deepest aspiration to be of service and benefit to those in need:
ST. ANDREW’S FOOD BASKET - EMC will make every other monthly donations through food collection for the local St. Andrew’s Food Pantry.
OUR NEXT FOOD AND $$ DONATION COLLECTION WILL BE ON TUESDAY, TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2026. Please have all collected food items to GREG M. before noon on that day. THANK YOU.
St. Andrews Episcopal church in Encinitas has an ongoing program that has been providing needed food for local families in our area. Since Covid 19 impact, the need has increased dramatically, and they are now serving between 200-240 families per week. The food is packed in a box on Wednesday's with canned goods, pasta, rice, beans etc. On Thursday which is the distribution day, they add whatever fresh vegetables, fruits, meat, bread, etc. they have available.
Look for more detailed information through the weekly meditations.
REMEMBER, food items such as pastas, rice, tortillas, tuna, chili, canned tomatoes, other canned vegetables, fresh vegetables such as celery, carrots and fruits are also welcome.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CARE AND HELP.
FEEDING EACH OTHER IS AN ESSENTIAL ACT OF CARE IN A WORLD WHERE MILLIONS GO HUNGRY EVERY DAY!
For a listing of our current events and additional information, please click here to visit the Events page.
