Fo Guang Shan North Carolina Donates Books to Correctional Center to Help Rebuild Religious Library
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Updated: 2 hours ago
[Reported by Yu Chuan, North Carolina, USA] Venerable Miao Jou, superintendent of Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temple, North Carolina, together with Venerable Zhi San and five volunteers including Gee Chia, president of the Buddha’s Light International Association (BLIA) North Carolina Chapter, visited the Carteret Correctional Center on March 9, 2026, to donate a collection of English translations of books by Venerable Master Hsing Yun. The donation aims to offer inspiration, wisdom, and inner peace to incarcerated individuals through reading.
Last year, a major fire destroyed the correctional center’s chapel along with its entire collection of religious books. Due to limited funding and difficulties in fundraising, prison chaplain Amanda Morrow sought assistance from the community in hopes of rebuilding the religious library so that inmates could continue learning about faith and spirituality.
Chaplain Morrow reached out to Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temple, North Carolina to request Buddhist resources. The temple responded positively. After several rounds of communication, the monastics and volunteers drove two and a half hours to personally deliver the books to the correctional center.
In total, more than 50 English translations of books and nearly 200 booklets were donated. The materials cover topics such as Humanistic Buddhism, life education, and personal growth, with the goal of helping inmates enrich their inner lives and cultivate self-improvement during their time in correctional custody.
Warden Embery L. Morton accepted the donation on behalf of the facility and expressed sincere appreciation for Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temple, North Carolina’s care and support.
During the visit, Warden Morton also introduced the institution’s core philosophy. He emphasized that correctional work is not only about supervision but also about education and rehabilitation, helping inmates successfully reintegrate into society after their release. He noted the importance of treating every individual with respect and dignity while offering hope and opportunities for positive change. Both sides also exchanged ideas on daily facility operations, inmate life arrangements, and the use of educational resources.
Venerable Miao Jou expressed that Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temple, North Carolina would be happy to provide additional support in the future if needed. Both parties look forward to further collaboration through volunteer service and educational resources to create more opportunities for learning and spiritual growth for those in custody.
