Master Wan Ko Yee Donates to Katrina Relief

September 14, 2005: Master Wan Ko Yee, on behalf of his family, has donated 4,950,000 of his shares of a prestigious art company, Superior Art Frame Company Limited (valued at US$1,200,000.00), to the United Relief Committee started by the United International World Buddhism Association Headquarters in San Francisco, California. H.H. Master Wan Ko Yee’s wife, Mrs. Yuhua Wang, also said, “The victims in the affected areas are devastated and in great need of help. We want to do our best in our relief effort…”   

The abbess of Hua Zang Si, Dharma Master Long-Hui addressed the attendees, “I would like to shortly express my opinions.  As the CEO of the United Relief Committee and the abbess of a Buddhist temple, and based on my personal understanding on the family situation of H.H. Master Wan Ko Yee, I feel obligated to honestly say what I have in mind. As a matter of fact, all the family members of H.H. Master Wan Ko Yee are involved in art work. They sell their art work to support themselves.  H.H. Master Wan Ko Yee’s family is currently under great financial pressure and is short on funds since they have been helping a lot of people, including monastics and laypersons, financially for many years. There has been a great number of such cases that I’m aware of. Nevertheless, Master’s family spares no effort in making contribution for the victims in the affected areas.”

On the same day that Master Yee proposed establishing this relief effort, many Buddhist congregations, non-Buddhist organizations, and individuals expressed their support of H.H. Master Wan Ko Yee’s advocacy by joining the United Relief Committee. Included in this effort to date are twenty-three groups from the United States, three organizations from Thailand, ten organizations from Taiwan, and other groups from Canada, Japan, Malaysia and other places.

There are hundreds of thousands of displaced fellow Americans in urgent need of our help. All of the relief fund raised by the United Relief Committee will be sent to affected areas through the Katrina fund established by former President Bush and former President Clinton.

The United Relief Committee urges those of you who would like to offer help to join the committee and urge others to donate. With the expansion of the United Relief Committee, chapters will be established around the world. 

For additional information concerning the United Relief Committee and how you can help, visit www.unitedreliefcommittee.org.