Arizona Friends of Tibet

03/29/2026

About Arizona Friends of Tibet
Our mission
Arizona Friends of Tibet is a nonprofit organization dedicated to manifesting His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s vision of promoting basic human values, as set forth in Tibetan culture, civilization, and ancient Buddhist traditions.

Our goals and objectives
We provide grants to support education and health-related programs benefiting Tibetans around the world.
We sponsor various community events that highlight Tibetan culture, including movies, lectures, teachings, and sand mandala creations.
We facilitate travel to Arizona for Tibetan and Buddhist teachers (including the Dalai Lama in 1993 and 2005).
We promote a sense of community and shared practice for Buddhists and students in the greater Tucson area.

Arizona Friends of Tibet is affiliated with Tibet House US; https://thus.org

How you can help
Volunteer Please send an email message to [email protected].

Recommend a grant recipient If you know of a project that helps Tibetans directly, please contact us with the details at [email protected] or have them complete the application on our Grants page; https://arizonafriendsoftibet.org/grants/

Donate today Whether you can contribute $5, $10, $100 or more, we need your help. Choose from three convenient ways to make your tax-deductible donation:
PayPal: Click the button below to visit our Join+Support page; https://arizonafriendsoftibet.org/join-support/ ,where you will find options for donating via PayPal.
Zelle: Send your donation from within your banking app to arizonafot (our new Zelle tag) or to [email protected].
Mail: Send your check made out to Arizona Friends of Tibet to:
Arizona Friends of Tibet
P.O. Box 1116
Sahuarita, AZ 85629-1116

03/26/2026

Bon Future Fund

The Bon Future Fund supports some of the last remaining Bon monks and anis (nuns) in the world. Our grants have been directed to the Redna Menling nunnery, which is in the foothills of the Himalayas in Dolanji, India. Last year, the anis purchased much needed winter coats. This year, they made technological improvements to their classroom so that they may offer online instruction.

03/21/2026

The Pureland Project

The Pureland Project is a U.S.-based nonprofit based in the U.S. that is dedicated to supporting Tibetans with medical care, education, and cultural enhancement.

Our 2025 grant to Pureland went directly toward supporting His Eminence Garchen Rinpoche as he continues helping people — such as the Tibetan elder pictured here — in remote villages.

For more information about Pureland, visit their website here; https://www.thepurelandproject.org

03/20/2026

Featured grantees

Each year, Arizona Friends of Tibet sends out at least $20,000 in grants in support of Tibetan Buddhist causes around the world. Your donations enable us to give generously to our carefully vetted recipients, as well as helping us host teachings and other events in the Tucson area.

The response to our 2026 Grant Application, which opened in January, has been both inspiring and a little overwhelming. We have so many wonderful causes to choose from! At our last board meeting we made some initial selections (not yet announced to those grant recipients), with more to come. Watch for more details on the Grants page of our website;

ARIZONA FRIENDS OF TIBET ** OUR 2026 GRANT APPLICATION IS NOW OPEN ** HOW TO COMPLETE AND SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION We are mindful that some grant applicants have limited access to the Internet, so we have created two ways for you to complete and submit your application: 1. Press

03/20/2026

Sand mandala timelapse video now available!
We are so excited to share this video with you, and so grateful to the University of Arizona Humanities Hub for making it happen (with a special shoutout to Christine Hoekenga and her student film crew for making sure the camera at the Weil Center was running when it needed to be).

Please click here: https://healthhumanities.arizona.edu/sand-mandala-creation to view the timelapse video of Venerable Lama Losang Samten (and a number of community “contributing artists”) creating and then dismantling the awe-inspiring Kalachakra sand mandala here last October.

In October, 2025, the Arizona Friends of Tibet sponsored Lama Losang Samten to travel to the University of Arizona and create a beautiful sand mandala.

03/17/2026

President’s Corner
In loving memory of Judy Margolis
Judy Margolis, a devoted friend of Tibet and the longest-serving board member of Arizona Friends of Tibet, passed away on February 4 in Tucson.

Judy’s relationship with our founder, Peggy Hitchcock, was one of enduring friendship and shared purpose. Their bond, rooted in a deep commitment to preserving and supporting Tibetan culture, remained an important part of Judy’s life long after Peggy’s passing.

For decades, Judy championed the people, traditions, and causes of Tibet with curiosity, energy, and compassion. She built genuine, lasting relationships with Tibetan teachers and community members, including a special connection with Lama Losang Samten, our recent mandala artist and teacher, whose friendship she greatly cherished.

Judy brought intelligence, humor, and creativity to every board and project she was a part of. Her presence helped shape the organization’s direction, and her perspective continually reminded us of why we do this work.

We will miss Judy deeply—her wit, her insight, and her generous spirit—but we take comfort in knowing that her dedication to the people and culture of Tibet continues to ripple outward. May her good works and intentions benefit all beings.

To learn more about Judy’s remarkable life, please visit her obituary on the Legacy website here: https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/santafenewmexican/name/judy-margolis-obituary?id=60850622

To see more please sign up for our newsletter: https://afot.us10.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=d88b3e36023639d2b14415c8c&id=fb3d599686

03/08/2026

Check out this event happening next weekend

here is the event link: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Aqapmd2XE/

02/18/2026

Happy Losar everyone

02/11/2026

Looking back at a wonder event from last year in which we partnered with The University of Arizona to bring Lama Losang Samten here for build this beautiful mandala.

Take a look on our website at the photos and videos including the time lapse of the mandalas creation shared with use by board members and the community.

October 2025 Sand Mandala Event In October 2025, Arizona Friends of Tibet had the honor of hosting revered sand-mandala artist Venerable Lama Losang Samten for a week-long sand mandala event. The featured mandala was a Kalachakra, or "Wheel of Time" mandala, simplified for our timeframe but still in...

01/14/2026

Check out this time lapse video of the Mandala that the The University of Arizona put together.

Witness the creation of a sand mandala, in timelapse, on the U of A campus. The mandala is a Tibetan Buddhist ritual artform that helps viewers to envision enlightenment.…

12/23/2025

As 2025 draws to a close, we look back at a year of learning, gathering together, and working to preserve Tibetan Buddhist culture and ideals in the face of increasing challenges.

Reports are in from the recipients of our 2025 grants detailing their use of the funds that we sent out earlier this year. We’re happy to share some highlights of their activities with you, on our website. Their reports show their dedication to their work and causes, along with offering a glimpse into the sometimes harsh realities of life for Tibetan communities.

As you will see, every dollar goes a long way, especially in India, Nepal, and Bhutan where several of our grantees do their work.

JOIN + SUPPORT US BECOME A FRIEND Friends Support and Donations are used for medical and educational aid for Tibetans inside Tibet, Tibetan refugees, and Tibetan organizations and projects worldwide including orphanages, monasteries, nunneries and elder homes. 100% of your contribution goes to suppo...