Things are starting to move

Central Community Chest logo

Getting help where it is needed is finally gaining momentum. The information has been slow in coming, but we are now getting better advice about where and how to help.

The two main donation organizations in Japan and perhaps abroad are Red Cross and Central Community Chest (a division of United Way). Donations started being accepted from around March 14, if not before.

Red Cross states their activities as follows: Your gift will support the Japanese Red Cross Society (JRCS) disaster relief efforts to help those affected by the earthquake and tsunami. Funds will be utilised for the on-going provision of immediate relief and for eventual recovery support to the affected population.

CCC promises to "support victims and volunteer groups who are working in the disaster zones." As of today, they have collected 5,127,646,958円. 

Thanks to contributions in Japan and from abroad, they are collecting a ton of money. However, I have no hard information about how fast either of these organizations are dispersing what they are collecting.  If you hear, please post a comment!

For those of us in Japan, donations of goods, as we did yesterday, are being welcomed to some extent. Next time, we will donate to Second Harvest, who welcome money to support their volunteer work and  goods for them to deliver. They seem to be very diligent in their operations and reporting of what they are doing. And they are moving fast.

Besides the above, lots of others everywhere are getting donations together - this is great news as story after story of the needs continue to surface: one recent news item reported that over 1,000 people in an evacuation centre at a stadium in Saitama can use the facilities only till the end of March. Where they all will go has not been clearly decided, though it seems that at least some of them will move to vacant schools. A TV report tonight said that it will take up to a year to build temporary housing for everyone who applies. 

People are coming together throughout the world to help. This is pretty terrific and encouraging news.

Second Harvest Japan

As a postscript: The Japan Times ran an informative article today about the relief activities that are currently underway.