BLIA North Carolina Donates School Supplies to Support Teachers and Students in the New School Year
- FGS NC
- Aug 21
- 2 min read
[Reported by Yixin Shiue , North Carolina, USA]
In support of Wake County’s Tools4Schools initiative, the Buddha’s Light International Association (BLIA) North Carolina Chapter organized a six-week school supply drive this summer. Coordinated by the First Subchapter, the effort culminated on August 21, 2025, with the donation of supplies to WakeEd Partnership, a local nonprofit that provides free classroom resources for public school teachers.
In recent years, rising inflation and technology costs have forced North Carolina teachers to spend an average of $1,600 per year out-of-pocket on classroom supplies—far above the U.S. national average of $900. To help ease this burden, WakeEd Partnership established Tools4Schools, a “free store” exclusively for Wake County public school teachers. According to WakeEd’s 2024–2025 Annual Impact Report, the program has already provided more than $560,000 worth of supplies, serving 9,253 educators through 5,540 shopping visits across all Wake County public schools. An impressive 93.8% of teachers reported that the program significantly reduced the financial stress of buying supplies themselves.
Just before the new school year began, Venerable Zhi San from Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temple, North Carolina, Chapter President May Shiue, Vice President and First Subchapter President Gee Chia, and five other members visited WakeEd Partnership to personally deliver the donation. They were warmly welcomed by WakeEd Partnership President Keith Poston, who announced the gift to teachers waiting in line for supplies. Teachers and staff expressed heartfelt appreciation for BLIA’s generosity.
The visit also gave BLIA members a firsthand look at how teachers select the items they need and offered opportunities for warm exchanges with educators. Volunteers noted that elementary school teachers especially requested headphones, composition notebooks, and stress-relief items, with headphones proving particularly valuable for computer-based lessons and testing.
Unlike a regular store, Tools4Schools operates as a community-supported resource center. Teachers register to confirm their employment in Wake County Public Schools and may then pick up items free of charge, based on their classroom or personal teaching needs.
The North Carolina Chapter donated 12 boxes of supplies, including crayons, pencils, notebooks, folders, copy paper, and tissues, along with a $1,000 cash contribution to further strengthen educational resources. Chapter President May Shiue shared her hopes that “every child can thrive in a supportive learning environment” and affirmed that BLIA North Carolina will continue to support education and community service initiatives.
