Albany Buddhist Sangha was founded in 2019 by local families who reached out to the New York Buddhist Church (est. 1938) to establish a diverse, family friendly, and inclusive Buddhist sangha to serve the greater Capital Region. NYBC is one of over 60 Buddhist groups affiliated with the Buddhist Churches of America, and Albany Buddhist Sangha is an officially recognized “satellite sangha” and outreach project of NYBC. After meeting for a few months, the COVID shutdown forced the sangha to go online for 18 months. During that time the sangha continued to meet weekly via Zoom and grow, receiving members from all over the United States and even Brazil! In September 2021, we returned to in-person gatherings, while continuing to stream our services and discussions via Zoom. Our sangha members come from all over the Capital Region, and come from diverse Buddhist and non-Buddhist backgrounds and perspectives. We aspire to share the teachings and create an open and accessible community for all. This is why our motto is “Come as you Are!”