At the end of May 2015, several Zigen long time supporters met with Ms. Pat Yang during her Bay Area visit. Mr. Harry Naping Lee started ZBAT (Zigen Bay Area Team) with three supporters in July. ZBAT has doubled its membership as of October.
ZBAT has performed several significant activities and accomplishments since July. 1) we continue to enhance contacts with major donors, like The Chang’s Foundation and Yining Foundation. 2) ZBAT raised $1,800 from individual donors. 3) Philip Yau and Harry Lee continued working with the SOAR Foundation to establish a joint-project providing scholarships and financial aid to high school students. 4) ZBAT team members have helped review and update Zigen marketing documents. 5) In mid-September, Chin Chen and several friends visited Zigen’s projects in Shilou, Qinlong, and the Migrant Worker Activity Center in Beijing. All were very moved and impressed by Zigen’s work. 6) Harry Naping Lee is working in the Beijing office until the end of November. He is focused on strengthening Zigen office operation functions and organizing the “The Zigen’s 20th Anniversary Celebration and the Sustainable Development Forum”.
At the present, ZBAT’s work will focus on raising funds in Northern California. We will also help the New York office prepare and translate publications and other documents.
In order to enhance our communications and friendships among Zigen’s supporters in the Bay Area, we have been discussing organizing some scheduled get-togethers by end of this year. We sincerely hope Zigen supporters contact us as soon as possible to begin planning activities.
ZBAT (Zigen Bay Area Team) 滋根旧金山湾区团队
ZBAT, 是滋根在旧金山湾区的一个新组建的团队。 2015年5月底杨贵平老师来湾区访问滋根支持者，再次激发了大家的对滋根的希望和热情。七月份，李乃平老师招集了其他三位滋根的长期支持者成立了ZBAT，滋根湾区团队。 到目前为止，ZBAT已经增加到了六位成员。
几个月来，ZBAT 开始了一系列活动。在筹款方面的工作主要做的是加强与捐助基金会的关系，比如张氏基金会和毅宁基金会，同时开始发展新的个人捐款者的工作，现已募集到一千八百美元。在发展项目方面，在游立辉和李乃平两位老师的努力下，滋根与树华基金会开始探讨贫困高中生奖助学金项目的合作，并且有了一定的进展。另外，ZBAT 成员们参与讨论并且修编了几个项目的宣传材料。九月中旬，ZBAT 成员陈勤老师偕同国内的几位朋友访问了山西石楼、河北青龙的几个滋根项目点及北京农民工活动中心， 他们对滋根的工作非常钦佩和赞赏。为了增强中国滋根的运作和协助举办《促进可持续发展论坛》及中国滋根二十周年庆典活动，九月份和十月份李乃平老师一直在北京办公室工作直到十一月下旬。
ZBAT 今后的工作将着重于在旧金山湾区募款和协助纽约办公室组织和翻译滋根的宣传材料。 为了发展和保持滋根人之间的友谊和交流，我们正在酝酿定期的聚会活动。 衷心希望北加州地区的滋根支持者主动联系我们，加入我们的团队，一起为滋根的公益事业工作。
By Chin Chen and Betty Chiu