Fundraising: Instructions for donating directly to Iwate prefectural government
Earthquake Tsunami, Fundraising, Local Government 
Comments Off on Fundraising: Instructions for donating directly to Iwate prefectural government
The following information was shared by JET alum Susan Pickett (Iwate-ken, Miyako-shi) who helped gather information for anyone who would like to donate directly to the Iwate prefectural government. The information is also available via the Facebook group “Grassroots Aide for Iwate“ (which I believe was set up by a JET alum, but not sure).
Note: JETwit.com does not advocate for or recommend any one particular charity or relief effort. This is just one more helpful example of JET alums helping to facilitate donations to Japan.
What Can I do?
I spent a year teaching English in Iwate Prefecture (Miyako) in the Tohoku Region- (northern Japan), and ever since the earthquake, I have been asking myself what can I do to help the people of Iwate and in particular those in the coastal towns severely hit by the tsunami.
Iwate Prefecture has set up a Disaster Relief Fund for the citizens affected by the earthquake and tsunami.
The Iwate Prefectural Site in Japanese is here: http://www.pref.iwate.jp/index.rbz Information on Iwate and the Great Tohoku Earthquake
Wikipedia info on the earthquake: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Japan
Charity information on the Iwate Prefecture site (English) (PDF): http://sv032.office.pref.iwate.jp/~bousai/taioujoukyou/gienkin_kaigai2.pdf
Charity Donations for the Great Tohoku Earthquake Disaster
Those who want to make a direct contribution to Iwate Prefectural victims and affected areas from overseas can make a bank transfer to the following location. The government of Iwate has a committee to decide how to distribute the funds. Those who want to make a direct contribution to Iwate Prefectural victims and affected areas from overseas can make a bank transfer to the following location.
1 Bank Transfer Account Information
- Bank (JPN: 銀行名)
- The Bank of Iwate, Ltd(JPN: 岩手銀行)
- SWIFT Code
- SWIFT: BAIWJPJT
- Branch: Kencho Branch(JPN: 県庁支店)
- Branch No: 009
- Account No. :009-2016634
- Beneficiary’s Name (JPN: 口座名義):Iwate Prefecture Disaster Relief Charity Committee (JPN: 岩手県災害義援金募集委員会)
- Beneficiary’s Address/Telephone Number (JPN: 住所/電話番号): Japan, Iwate-ken, Morioka-shi, Uchimaru 10-1 Office of Health and Welfare Planning Iwate Prefectural Government Tel :019-629-5408
*(Note: Please remember that there may be bank charges involved with transferring money overseas)
2 Issuances of Receipts
- For those that require a receipt for their charitable donation, please download the following form : http://sv032.office.pref.iwate.jp/~bousai/taioujoukyou/gienkin_kaigai2_yousiki.pdf
- Fill out your address, name, transfer account information, and amount of money donated. Then send that form by mail, fax, or email to the Office of Health and Welfare Planning of the Iwate Government (the address is written below).
3 Distribution of Charitable Donations
A separate committee will be formed to decide how to distribute charity funds.
- < Iwate Prefecture Disaster Relief Charity Committee >
- 〒020-8570 Iwate-ken, Morioka-shi, Uchimaru 10-1
- Office of Health and Welfare Planning
- Iwate Prefectural Government
- TEL 019-629-5408 FAX 019-629-5419 Email AD0001 [at] pref.iwate.jp
Miyagi JET writes of ruin, survival, rebuilding
Article/Journalism, Earthquake Tsunami, JETs in the News, Writers Comments Off on Miyagi JET writes of ruin, survival, rebuilding
The below letter by current JET Waylon Bryson (Miyagi-ken, Sendai-shi) appeared recently in the Washington State University student publication where Bryson attended college.
The following letter was sent to WSU history instructor Roger Chan, who taught author Waylon Bryson, a philosophy graduate of 2007. Chan shared it with Noriko Kawamura, associate professor of history, who passed it on for WSU Today to share with the university community. Bryson is working in Sendai, Japan as an English teacher. This fall he will attend Vanderbilt Law in Nashville, Tenn.
I have lived in the city of Sendai, Japan for the past three and a half years, where I teach English for the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme. I was at my desk in the teachers’ room of Hachiken Junior High School when the earthquake struck.
Earthquakes are quite common in Japan and I, like the other staff members, paid little attention at first.
Then the room moved several feet. I had to physically hold onto my desk so that it wouldn’t move away from me. A control panel on the wall lit up like a Christmas tree and alarm bells started sounding. I could hear students screaming from the floors above as cracks snaked along the concrete walls and the building started groaning ominously.
CLICK HERE to read the full article on the WSU Today site.
JETAA USA Earthquake Relief Fund Update: Nominated Relief Funds
Earthquake Tsunami, Fundraising Comments Off on JETAA USA Earthquake Relief Fund Update: Nominated Relief Funds
JETAA USA is in the process of figuring out the best use of the donations it has collected and is continuing to collect for the JETAA USA Earthquake Relief Fund. Below is the latest from JETAA USA:
Nominated Relief Funds
CLAIR NY has offered their guidance in helping JETAA USA make a decision. CLAIR NY will not have a vote in the final outcome, but will simply be providing their thoughts on the effectiveness, feasibility, etc. on the nominations that the chapters have submitted. Additionally, Charity Navigator is a useful online resource which shows the effectiveness of US NGOs. We are working on finding a similar resource for Japanese NGOs.
There were suggestions from a few different chapters that the fund be donated in memory of any JETs lost in the disaster. Chapters will have a chance to vote on this idea, although it’s not reflected in the below list. [Emphasis added by JETwit.]
Below are the nominated causes/ organizations for the JETAA USA Earthquake Relief Fund:
Akai Hane (Red Feather Community Chest): Akai Hane, or the Red Feather Community Chest of Japan, is a non-governmental organization that focuses on welfare work and a member of United Way Worldwide. Central Community Chest of Japan and each Local Community Chests are raising fund to support victims, and to support volunteer groups which are responding to the disaster.
AmeriCares: AmeriCares is in direct contact with local officials, evacuation shelters and hospitals treating the injured and caring for evacuees, and based on early assessments and the anticipated need for long-term humanitarian aid, they’ve expanded set up an office in Tokyo to coordinate relief efforts. AmeriCares participated in the first inter-agency organizational meeting led by MOFA and included representatives of the Japanese Cabinet, UN agencies, and Japanese NGOs.
Association for Aid and Relief in Japan (AAR): Association for Aid and Relief, Japan (AAR JAPAN) mainly focus on the following activities: emergency assistance, assistance to persons with disabilities, and mine action. In response to the disaster in Japan, their Emergency Relief Team continues to visit welfare facilities for the aged and people with disabilities in the affected area to deliver food and fuel.
Community Project (Cause): With JET being an education- focused program, we’d like to identify a fund or organization focused on long-term rebuilding of schools in the affected areas (e.g. replenishing libraries, rebuilding institutions, installing student computers, providing teaching materials, playground equipment, etc). This also falls in line with JET’s mission of grassroots community involvement.
CRASH Japan: Christian Relief, Assistance, Support and Hope (CRASH) is a network supporting Christians to do relief work in Japan and around the world. CRASH equips and prepares churches and missions to be there to help their communities when disasters strike and coordinates Christian volunteers to work with local ministries in the event of a disaster.
Direct Donation: Following an immediate donation to a disaster relief organization for the pressing needs, we would like the Fund continue to be maintained by JETAANY. We’d like the collection of donations to continue and those funds to go toward rebuilding the English program at the schools where the JET’s who were lost in this disaster worked.
Fukushima / Iwate / Miyagi Prefecture Direct Funds: Fukushima, Iwate and Miyagi (separate accounts for donating to relief or reconstruction) have established direct donation accounts.
Habitat for Humanity: Habitat for Humanity International currently has an assessment team in Japan, and together with Habitat for Humanity Japan, are liaising with government authorities and other organizations on how to best support the relief effort. In the short-term, Habitat for Humanity expects its response to include mobilizing volunteers in Japan to work with other organizations in the relief operation, like beginning the clean-up process, and a longer-term plan will then be plotted, when the full extent of the damage is known and the best course of action identified.
Japan Platform: Japan Platform (JPF) is an international emergency humanitarian aid organization which offers more effective and prompter emergency aid, in response to the world situation, focusing the issues of refugees and natural disaster. JPF conducts such aid with a tripartite cooperation system where NGOs, business community, and government of Japan work in close cooperation, based on equal partnership, making the most of the respective sectors’ characteristics and resources.
Japan Red Cross: The Japanese Red Cross Society (JRCS) is scaling up its response to meet the needs of the affected population as well as assessing the situation at both national headquarters and branch level in the affected prefectures, to plan for the next phases of the humanitarian operation.
The Boston Foundation (via the Japan America Society of Boston): This fund was established last week at The Boston Foundation with an initial leadership grant of $100,000 from Atsuko and Lawrence Fish, who have also pledged to cover all administrative costs of the fund. Contributions to this fund are for immediate relief – not for long-term infrastructure recovery, which is seen as the responsibility of the government of Japan.
JEN: Japanese Emergency NGOs was founded as a coalition of relief workers with experience in overseas disasters. More than a decade ago, JEN became an independent NGO implementing disaster relief work. JEN is coordinating with local government and at the grassroots level to deliver blankets and food in the short term, and it has two teams in the affected areas assessing its long-term response.
Mercy Corps: Mercy Corps is working to help survivors of Japan’s earthquake and tsunami in cooperation with our longstanding partner, Peace Winds. Peace Winds continues to deliver emergency supplies — including large shelters, tents, blankets, instant rice and fresh produce — to families evacuated from homes in the tsunami-devastated city of Kesennuma. Mercy Corps has deployed our emergency team leader to help Peace Winds coordinate its lifesaving response.
Monty Dickson Fund: A to be established fund that will assist efforts to find Monty and to assist his family in their ongoing efforts to find Monty, a current JET participant who was teaching in Rikuzentakata on the day of the earthquake and tsunami – Rikuzentakata was destroyed by the tsunami. Monty called friends from the town cultural hall after the earthquake, but has not been heard from since.
Nippon Foundation: The Nippon Foundation has extensive experience working with local partners to provide support after disasters such as the Great Hanshin Earthquake of 1995, and more recently the Mid Niigata Earthquake and Noto Peninsula Earthquake. The Nippon Foundation/CANPAN Northeastern Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund aims to provide both immediate aid as well as medium to long-term support to ensure a full recovery of the affected areas, in an accountable and timely manner.
Orphanages in Japan: Many children may have become parentless due to the natural disaster. We should identify a fund or organization in Japan that supports orphans and orphanages long-term.
Oxfam Japan: Oxfam Japan will be working with two partners in Japan on providing support to those on the margins of society who might otherwise have difficulty accessing emergency relief. One group is assisting mothers and babies and the other is providing information to non-Japanese speakers living in Japan.
Peace Winds America: Peace Winds America is the US chapter of Peace Winds Japan, a Japanese NGO, and a partner of Mercy Corps, focusing their efforts on strengthening disaster management readiness in case of disasters in Asia. They are currently on the ground in Japan, and most recently are arranging a convoy of 10 trucks of supplies to Iwate and Miyagi, providing food, water, gas, blankets, clothing to at least 5 different affected communities (as of March 22).
Peace Winds Japan: Peace Winds Japan is one of the largest Japanese organizations providing humanitarian relief such as food, clothing, fuel and medical supplies to the affected areas. It is also currently listed on Global Giving’s website as one of 7 ongoing projects in Japan in need of assistance.
Rehabilitation: Funds should go to an as yet unidentified group in Japan that provides long-term rehabilitation services for the disabled.
Riverside Sendai Relief Fund: Riverside and Sendai have been friends since 1951 and sister cities since 1957 in what is one of the oldest continuous sister city relationships in the United States.
Save the Children: Save the Children is the world’s leading independent organization for children, working in more than 120 countries. In Japan they have a 3 year plan strategy—based on initial assessments—to first help provide essential relief items and launch child protection activities, and then help restore children’s sense of security and normalcy and advocate for their inclusion in emergency preparedness planning.
Second Harvest: Second Harvest Japan distributes food to soup kitchens, orphanages, the elderly, emergency shelters, single mothers, the homeless, migrant workers, and many others.
UNICEF Japan: Japan Committee for UNICEF has been making a concerted effort to help affected children and their families by mobilizing its well-established network of partners, including the private sector, schools, religious groups and volunteers. The Committee is mobilizing assistance in the areas of maternal and child health, education and psychosocial support.
U.S. Japan Council: The U.S.-Japan Council Earthquake Relief Fund was established to collect donations that directly support immediate relief and the long-term rebuilding in Japan. 100% of all donations will go to directly to NGOs/NPOs in Japan. On March 22, USJC announced that the first disbursement will go to two Japanese NGO platforms: The Japan Platform (JPF) and the Center for Public Resource Development (CPRD).
Tsunami Reflections by Iwate JET Alum
Earthquake Tsunami Comments Off on Tsunami Reflections by Iwate JET Alum
Renay Loper (ALT, Iwate 2006-2007) is a freelance writer and international education professional currently seeking FT opportunities. Visit her at Atlas In Her Hand
Although a couple of weeks have passed since the disaster, each day seems to bring a new struggle to Japan, and more importantly, the people. If you are anything like me, events like this humbly (and sadly) have a way of putting things into perspective – we just never know what the next minute, hour, or day has in store for us.
All it takes is one second.
Place In My Heart
Be ready. It is not known what the universe has in store for you within the next year…month…week…day…hour. Realistically, life changes in an instant. A lot of time is not needed for anything to happen – good or bad.
All too often it takes that instant of something happening to put things into perspective – whether it be a birth, a death, a natural or man-made disaster, a proclamation of “you are now man and wife”, a car accident, a revelation of infidelity…or well, you get the point. We just never know what is around the corner.
To read the rest of the post click HERE
Atlas In Her Hand is Renay’s travel blog
Mainichi Daily News: JET program English teachers in Miyagi say they won’t leave
Earthquake Tsunami, JETs in the News Comments Off on Mainichi Daily News: JET program English teachers in Miyagi say they won’t leave
An article from The Mainichi Daily News about the 1/3 of the 70 Miyagi Prefecture JETs who have chosen to stay in Miyagi and continue working for their communities.
The article quotes the following JETs:
- Katherine Sheu, 25, from Los Angeles, who has taught English at five elementary and junior high schools in Ishinomaki for the past three years.
- Edward Clemons, 25, from Chicago,is in his second year of teaching conversational classes for adults and school students in Kesennuma, another Miyagi city severely damaged by the disaster.
- Daniel Villeneuve (Canada), a Miyagi prefectural advisor for the assistant language teachers.
Full article here:
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/features/news/20110329p2g00m0fe073000c.html
Japan Society Round-up 03.28.11: Disaster relief funds set up by Japan America Societies
Earthquake Tsunami, Fundraising, Japan Society Round-up Comments Off on Japan Society Round-up 03.28.11: Disaster relief funds set up by Japan America Societies
In addition to the many fundraising events planned by Japan America Societies around the country, numerous funds have been set up to collect donations for Japan’s disaster relief. This list of funds (organized alphabetically by city/state) was compiled by JET alum Gail Meadows (ALT, Hiroshima-shi 2007-10). If you know of a fund set up by a Japan America Society that is not listed here, please leave it in the comments. Thanks!
JASGA has created a disaster relief fund to collect donations for organizations involved directly with relief efforts in the northeastern area of Japan. Donations can be made online here. Alternatively, checks can be sent to Japan-America Society of Greater Austin PO Box 9276 Austin, TX 78766. Please make checks payable to the Japan-America Society of Greater Austin and be sure to write Earthquake-Tsunami Relief Fund in the memo field.
JSB partnered with the Boston Foundation and the Fish Family Foundation to create a new Japanese Disaster Relief Fund-Boston. Donations to this fund are now being accepted online at www.japanesedisasterrelieffund.org. This fund was established with an initial leadership grant of $100,000 from Atsuko and Lawrence Fish, who have also pledged to cover all administrative costs of the fund. This will make it possible for 100 percent of contributions to go directly to Japanese disaster victims and to the organizations working on the ground in Tohoku to help the people who need it most. For more information, click here.
JASSCA has established the 2011 Japan Relief Fund. All donations will be forwarded to experienced non-governmental disaster relief agencies in Japan that have a proven track record of emergency humanitarian relief and restoration and development of destroyed areas. To donate, visit their website here.
JASNC created the JSNC Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund and pledges that 100 percent of contributions will be provided to Give2Asia, a highly regarded San Francisco-based philanthropy, to support relief efforts. Give2Asia will channel 95 percent of all funds received to Japanese NGOs working on the ground, with the remaining 5 percent funding Give2Aisa’s own work coordinating with and supporting those NGOs. Currently Give2Asia — in consultation with its advisor Japan NPO Network — is formulating relief plans with Second Harvest Japan and Shanti Volunteer Association. It is also in discussions with: Japanese Emergency NGOs (JEN), Saigai Volunteer Katsudo Shien Project Kaigi, Rescue Stock Yard, and Niigata Saigai (Disaster Volunteer Network). To donate, go here: http://give2asia.org/japansociety.
The Japan America Society of Chicago is currently accepting donations for the Japan Earthquake Relief Fund. All proceeds will go directly to the Japanese Red Cross. To donate online, click here.
AJET: Guide to Organising Food and Supply Drives
Earthquake Tsunami, Volunteer Comments Off on AJET: Guide to Organising Food and Supply Drives
AJET recently put up a good Facebook post on a “Guide to Organising Food and Supply Drives.”
Japan Center for International Exchange (JCIE/USA) Update: 03.28.11
Earthquake Tsunami, Fundraising, Notable JET Alums, Volunteer Comments Off on Japan Center for International Exchange (JCIE/USA) Update: 03.28.11
The Japan Center for International Exchange (JCIE/USA) has been an excellent source of updates via the earthquake section of its website as well as its Facebook page. The kind of info you’re likely not getting from CNN or network news. Notably, JET alum James Gannon (Ehime-ken, 1992-94) is the Director of JCIE/USA’s New York office. Here’s the latest update:
Weekend News – http://www.jcie.org/earthquakeupdate.html
- JEN and others report that more relief supplies are reaching those in need, while a recent AMDA survey shows a rise in suspected Influenza cases.
- AAR Japan searched for a senior daycare center by foot in Yamamoto-cho (Miyagi Pref). Only a sign was left and word finally reache…d them that they had lost 3 of their staff members.
Also: JCIE has updated its Timeline through March 25 (http://www.jcie.org/earthquakeupdate.html). Relief supplies, especially medical, are still in high demand two weeks after the ‘Quake & Tsunami. However, NGO’s are also able to reach more and more people in need.
Click here for some images from Recovery & Relief efforts.
Fukushima perspectives by a Fukushima JET alum
Article/Journalism, Earthquake Tsunami, Writers Comments Off on Fukushima perspectives by a Fukushima JET alum
Thanks to JETAA Bluegrass Subchapter rep Roy Harrison for sharing the link to the excellent article by Fukushima JET alum and journalist Graham Shelby:
“JET Alum Graham Shelby put together a piece for the Louisville Courier-Journal about the experience of watching what’s happening in Fukushima from a distance that’s much greater geographically than it is emotionally.”
“Please give it a read. You’ll likely find it echoes the feelings you’ve been having for the past two weeks.”
http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2011303270046
Via a post to the Miyagi JET Reunion Facebook group by William Henning:
“This [map of Miyagi] ought to give you some idea of how your area fared. Scroll down for .pfds of maps showing approx. how far the water reached along the Miyagi coast.”
- See map 10 for Natori, Iwanuma, Sendai, Tagajo, Shiogama.
- See map 9 for Higashi Matsushima and Ishinomaki.
- See map 8 for Kitakami (Kahoku), Ogatsu, and Onagawa
- See map 7 for Shizugawa and Utatsu.
Ibaraki Update: Socks
Earthquake Tsunami Comments Off on Ibaraki Update: Socks
From a blog by Jason Kelly (not a JET). FYI, Ibaraki Prefecture was also hit hard by the earthquake but has not gotten as much attention as the harder hit areas of Miyagi, Iwate and Fukushima.
Into Ibaraki
We received an emergency request for socks from North Ibaraki City, hit hard by the earthquake and tsunami, and located only 73 km (45 mi) south of the stricken Fukushima nuclear power plants. We faced two questions: Was it safe to travel closer to the radiation, and could we justify using precious gasoline for such a long trip?
On the first question, we checked radiation levels for the area and found them to be eight times higher than near our base in Sano —
CLICK HERE to read the rest of this post.
Here’s an article from the Salvation Army’s blog about an ALT named Lis Bennett (not a JET) who was teaching at a school 25 miles from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant when the earthquake struck. She was evacuated from the area and shares some of her experience in the article.
Japan Center for International Exchange (JCIE/USA) Update: 03.23.11
Earthquake Tsunami, Notable JET Alums Comments Off on Japan Center for International Exchange (JCIE/USA) Update: 03.23.11
The Japan Center for International Exchange (JCIE/USA) has been an excellent source of updates via the earthquake section of its website as well as its Facebook page. The kind of info you’re likely not getting from CNN or network news. Notably, JET alum James Gannon (Ehime-ken, 1992-94) is the Director of JCIE/USA’s New York office. Here’s the latest update:
March 23 Excerpts (http://www.jcie.org/earthquakeupdate.html):
* AARJ responds to a Sendai welfare organization assisting the elderly, which had run out of resources.
* Peace Winds Japan distributed kerosene & stoves in Minamisanriku-cho for those without heat.
* All medical facilities in Rikuzentakada were destroyed in the earthquake; …NICCO’s team is providing mobile medical services in Otomo-cho.
JapanGanbare: Messages of encouragement and support through manga art!
Art, Earthquake Tsunami Comments Off on JapanGanbare: Messages of encouragement and support through manga art!
A thoughtful approach to supporting Japan through original and creative images by manga fans:
Send a message of encouragement and support through your own manga art!
漫画を使って日本を応援しましょう！
Japanese fundraising on the streets of NYC
Earthquake Tsunami, Fundraising, Volunteer Comments Off on Japanese fundraising on the streets of NYC
Ganbare Japan!
Japanese volunteers ask for donations on behalf of the Lions Club in front of Grand Central Station, New York City. Polite yet persistent. Volunteers have been active in this way throughout the city for the last week.
What’s going on in your neck of the woods?
Photo by Steven Horowitz (Aichi-ken, 1992-94)
