New Year Brings Warmth and Concern for the Underprivileged

As the Lunar New Year approached, our local Centers around Formosa conveyed Supreme Master Ching Hai’s loving concern to the underprivileged, warming their hearts and encouraging them to live with confidence and dignity.

The Tainan Center prepared and distributed warm clothing, sleeping bags, toiletries and hot food to the homeless in local parks, railway stations, car parks and unoccupied houses. Every Friday between January 9 and 30, we served vegan lunch and evening meals to the volunteer workers and over 60 people living on the streets at the Jamyang Charity Fund Home for Street Friends. Also in caring for animals, we contributed 27 big bags of vegan dog food to a stray dog shelter in Xinying. For the more than 250 inmates of Mingde Labor Prison, we held a Spring Festival Celebration on January 21 so that they too could enjoy the happy atmosphere of the Lunar New Year holidays.

To express concern for the underprivileged and to encourage people to go veg to fight global warming, from January 19 to 24, we served delicious and sumptuous vegan lunches and dinners every day at Jinhua Loving Hut to 80 senior citizens living alone. At noon each day, we gave out 200 free vegan meal boxes to the general public and took the opportunity to distribute SOS flyers. We also held more than 20 video seminars to apprise local residents that going veg could save the Earth. The response was overwhelming!

At a press conference held on January 21, on behalf of Mayor Hsu Tain-tsair, Deputy Director Dai Yong-fu of the Social Affairs Department presented a letter of appreciation to The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association and praised our charity efforts in caring about the underprivileged and in advocating the vegan diet in Tainan as a unique exemplary endeavor for the public. Director Jhang Huang-jhen of the Environmental Protection Bureau expressed her appreciation and acknowledged the benefits of the vegetarian diet. She said that the No Meat-No Heat campaign held by our Association last year had convinced her to pursue a vegetarian diet, and in the six months since, she has felt healthier and could think more clearly at work.

Knowing that the street people in Taipei County were badly in need of warm clothing, our Taipei Center gathered 40 big crates of warm clothing within a week. Our Association members categorized the items and packed them in boxes. Then with the assistance of members of the Taipei County Volunteer Workers’ Society, everything was quickly distributed to the homeless in towns and villages throughout the county.

Coordinating with the Luodong Homeless Shelter run by the Ren-An Foundation, the Yilan Center held a vegan feast for the street friends to enjoy. At the same time, videos conveying the Be Veg, Go Green, Save the Planet message were shown, and gifts and SOS flyers were distributed to them.

After visiting destitute households to find out their needs, our Taoyuan Center purchased the required daily necessities and distributed them together with Master’s publications.

The Hsinchu Center gathered some warm clothing and gloves and delivered them to the Hsinchu Homeless Shelter, so that the street friends could keep warm in the cold winter.

Before the arrival of the first cold front, the Chiayi Center purchased warm coats and delivered them along with some steaming hot soup to the street people.

The Kaoshiung Center cooperated with the local Loving Hut restaurant in launching a Lunar New Year activity called “Giving Warmth and Love in Cold Winter—Giving Free Meals Every Day.” From January 19 to 25, we gave out 200 free lunches every day to the street friends. Outside the restaurant, we displayed 27 billboards on the global warming issue. The activity received warm support and response from the public.

The Venerable Master Sheng Yen, who dedicated his life to “uplifting the quality of humanity and building a Pureland in this world,” passed away on the afternoon of February 3, 2009, having impressed this world with his pledge that “the universe may one day perish, but my vows will forever hold true.” Upon receiving word of his passing, Supreme Master Ching Hai especially sent our Association members to express Her condolences in remembrance of Master Sheng Yen’s life-long dedication to preaching Buddhist teachings, to education, cultural development, practicing meditation, advocating “the protection of the spiritual environment,” and promoting interaction among religions, which have left a great impact on Formosa and the international community.

Receipt for the NT$20,000 offered to the Dharma Drum Mountain Buddhist Foundation

On February 6, nine representatives of our Association went to Jinshan in Taipei County to attend the funeral conducted by Buddhist elders, and contributed NT$20,000 to the Dharma Drum Mountain Buddhist Foundation. We believe that Venerable Master Sheng Yen’s great spirit of compassion and humanity will continue to inspire people, and we also hope that the Pureland on Earth that he had been striving to build all his life will soon be realized.

Expenditures for Charitable and Relief Activities
in Formosa from September to December 2008

Place	Date	Description of Activities	Amount	Appendix
Tainan	2008.09.06	Conducting a vegetarian cooking class for the Yanshui Township Elderly Welfare Society, and holding a vegetarian food-tasting event (supported by fellow initiates)	0
Hualien	2008.09.08	Visiting parolees of the Hualien District Prosecution Office, sharing moon cakes and the No Meat-No Heat concept of saving energy and reducing carbon emissions	11,700	A
Keelung	2008.09.11	Distributing moon cakes and daily necessities such as towels and mugs to pedestrian friends	13,170	B
Taipei	2008.09.12	Visiting inmates at the Sindian Drug Abuser Treatment Center and sharing moon cakes and pomelos to celebrate the Moon Festival	21,600	C
Tainan	2008.09.21	Supporting the environmental protection movement by cleaning Golden Beach in Tainan (supported by fellow initiates)	0
Keelung	2008.09.21	Participating in the city’s first-ever vegetarian fair in support of the government’s Save Energy, Reduce Carbon Emissions, Be Veg, Go Green campaign	5,338	D
Taipei	2008.09.25	September visit to inmates of the Sindian Drug Abuser Treatment Center, holding spiritual talks, a meditation instruction session, as well as English conversation and vegetarian cooking classes (supported by fellow initiates)	0
Tainan	2008.09.26	Visiting inmates at Tainan Prison, holding soul-elevating seminars and meditation instruction sessions (supported by fellow initiates)	0
Tainan	2008.09.26	Supporting the government’s Save Energy, Reduce Carbon Emissions, Be Veg, Go Green campaign by holding seminars and related activities in colleges and schools across the county (supported by fellow initiates)	0
Keelung	2008.09.27	Holding a vegetarian food-tasting event for mountain hikers in Xizhi in support of the government’s campaign to “Save Energy, Reduce Carbon Emissions, Be Veg, Go Green”	15,813	E
Taipei	2008.10.03~05	Supporting the government’s Save Energy, Reduce Carbon Emissions, Be Veg, Go Green campaign by participating in a fair held by the Taiwan U-Life Association to brighten life with love, respect for the elderly, good treatment for pets, and an introduction of the healthy vegetarian lifestyle (supported by fellow initiates)	0
Keelung	2008.10.04	Cleaning the Badouzi Coast to support environmental protection	2,430	F
Miaoli	2008.10.12	Sweeping Miaoli Route No. 28 to support the environmental protection effort by the Miaoli Township Office (supported by fellow initiates)	0
Kinmen	2008.10.17	Holding seminars and related activities in local schools to support the government’s campaign to Save Energy, Reduce Carbon Emissions, Be Veg, Go Green (supported by fellow initiates)	0
Keelung	2008.10.17	Supporting the Keelung City Government’s appeal to provide free lunch to less fortunate students by contributing to Wulun Junior High School’s free lunch fund	9,000	G
Taipei	2008.10.19	Supporting the government’s Save Energy, Reduce Carbon Emissions, Be Veg, Go Green campaign through participation in the Be Veg, Reduce Carbon, Fight Global Warming Fair (supported by fellow initiates)	0
Taipei	2008.10.30	October visit to inmates of the Sindian Drug Abuser Treatment Center, holding spiritual talks and a meditation instruction session, as well as English conversation and vegetarian cooking classes (supported by fellow initiates)	0
Tainan	2008.10.31	Visiting inmates of the Tainan Prison, holding soul-elevating seminars and meditation instruction sessions (supported by fellow initiates)	0
Taichung	2008.11.01	Helping the Formosa Animal Protection Society in Taichung to build animal shelters to protect the 800 impounded stray dogs against adverse weather conditions	118,000	H
Hualien	2008.11.05	Extending concern to less fortunate students and parolees in remote regions in the cold winter by distributing rice, vegetable oil, biscuits and socks	38,292	I
Taichung	2008.11.06	Supporting the government’s Save Energy, Reduce Carbon Emissions, Be Veg, Go Green campaign by holding a seminar with Asia University’s Center of General Education entitled “Loving the Earth, Beginning with You,” and providing a free, green, vegetarian lunch	31,970	J
Taipei	2008.11.15	Supporting the government’s Save Energy, Reduce Carbon Emissions, Be Veg, Go Green campaign by holding an exhibition at Dongyuan Elementary School and providing a free, green, vegetarian lunch	24,000	K
Tainan	2008.11.15	Supporting the government’s Save Energy, Reduce Carbon Emissions, Be Veg, Go Green campaign by holding a tea party for prominent figures to share with them the benefits of the vegetarian diet and the noble ideal of Be Veg, Go Green, Save the Planet, distribute spiritual books as gifts, and serve healthy vegetarian food (supported by fellow initiates)	0
Penghu	2008.11.19	Accepting an interview with Feng Sheng Radio on invitation by the local Environmental Protection Bureau to support the government’s Save Energy, Reduce Carbon Emissions, Be Veg, Go Green campaign, to help listeners understand the importance of the concept (supported by fellow initiates)	0
Tainan	2008.11.19	Visiting inmates at Tainan Mingde Labor Prison, holding spiritual talks and meditation instruction sessions (supported by fellow initiates)	0
Changhua	2008.11.22	Exhibiting delectable vegetarian food at the Changhua Local Food Festival and advocating the use of animal-free products as the fastest and most effective way to halt climate change; contributing to the Changhua City Government’s Social Relief Fund	10,000	L
Tainan	2008.11.26	Supporting the government’s Save Energy, Reduce Carbon Emissions, Be Veg, Go Green campaign by holding six lectures at Fenghe Junior High School and Yanshui Junior High School in Tainan County and Hua Te Vocational High School in Kaohsiung (s upported by fellow initiates)	0
Tainan	2008.11.27	Visiting inmates at Tainan Prison, holding soul-elevating seminars and meditation instruction sessions (supported by fellow initiates)	0
Taipei	2008.11.27	November visit to inmates in the Sindian Drug Abuser Treatment Center, holding spiritual talks, a meditation instruction session, as well as English conversation and vegetarian cooking classes (supported by fellow initiates)	0
Chiayi	2008.11.28	Giving out warm coats and hot soup to homeless people in the cold winter	7,500	M
Changhua	2008.11.29	Giving relief cash to homeless people	16,000	N
Tainan	2008.12.04	Supporting the government’s Save Energy, Reduce Carbon Emissions, Be Veg, Go Green campaign by holding No Meat-No Heat seminars and vegetarian food-tasting at the South District Office	9,660	O
Penghu	2008.12.05	Holding seminars in and contributing spiritual books to six schools and colleges in support of the government’s Save Energy, Reduce Carbon Emissions, Be Veg, Go Green campaign	8,568	P
Changhua	2008.12.20	Supporting the government’s Save Energy, Reduce Carbon Emissions, Be Veg, Go Green campaign by holding two No Meat-No Heat seminars at the Cultural Affairs Bureau (supported by fellow initiates)	0
Tainan	2008.12.25	Visiting inmates at the Tainan Prison, holding soul-elevating seminars and meditation teaching sessions (supported by fellow initiates)	0
Chiayi	2008.12.28	Participating in a fair for spinal injury patients, advocating fighting global warming with the vegetarian diet, and providing items for a charity bazaar held by the Spinal Cord Injury Association	6,000	Q
Yilan	2008.12.28	Extending warmth during the cold winter to homeless people, serving hot food and giving out gifts	9,500	R
Taipei	2008.12.29	December visit to inmates at the Sindian Drug Abuser Treatment Center, holding spiritual talks, a meditation instruction session, and English conversation and vegetarian cooking classes (supported by fellow initiates)	0
Total			NT $358,541

	September 2008		October 2008		November 2008		December 2008
Place	No. of Households	Amount	No. of Households	Amount	No. of Households	Amount	No. of Households	Amount	Appendix
Taipei	2	10,000	2	10,000	1	5,000	1	5,000	1
Taoyuan	1	3,000	1	3,000	─	─	─	─	2
Miaoli	7	21,000	7	21,000	8	24,000	6	18,000	3
Taichung	1	5,000	1	5,000	1	5,000	1	5,000	4
Taitung	1	4,000	1	4,000	─	─	─	─	5
Hualien	─	─	1	3,000	─	─	─	─	6
Chiayi	─	─	─	─	─	─	1	2,500	7
Subtotal	12	43,000	13	46,000	10	34,000	9	30,500

To view the Humanitarian Relief Activities by the Supreme Master Ching Hai and Her International Association,
please visit :http://www.GodsDirectContact.org.tw/humanitarian
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