How to give
The Miami Valley’s Asian American Council is partnering with the Japanese American Citizens League in coordinating the Japan Earthquake Relief Fund. Contributions can be made online with a credit card or PayPal with 100 percent of the funds forwarded to the Consulate-General of Japan. You can also send checks to the Japan Earthquake Relief Fund, c/o Chase Bank, 40 N. Main St. Dayton, OH, 45423. Checks can also be deposited at any Chase branch in the area.
Donations of $10 to the American Red Cross can be made by texting REDCROSS to 90999. Contributions can also be made on the website: www.redcross.org or mailed to the Dayton Area Chapter of the American Red Cross at 270 W. First St., Dayton, OH, 45402. Make checks out to Japan Earthquake and the Pacific Tsunami.
Donations to OxFam International through Dorothy Lane Market can be made at the stores or at www.dorothylane.com
Kroger is collecting money at all registers in the Tri-State area through March 27.
Giovanni’s restaurant in Fairborn will donate 10% of sales on March 22-24 to Doctors Without Borders.
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has published a list of nonprofit relief organizations accepting donations for the relief efforts in Japan at www.interaction.org.
DAYTON — The earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis that have devastated Japan has left many in the Miami Valley wondering how they can be of help.
The most effective way at this point is through cash donations, according to Ron Katsuyama, national vice president of the Japanese American Citizens League and a Kettering resident.
Katsuyama said he is in touch with Kuninori Matsuda, the Consul General of Japan in Detroit, who has been communicating with the Japanese government. Their instructions, he said, were that cash donations would be the most helpful, especially as they move into secondary types of assistance.
“In the early stages of any disaster, there is a need for search-and-rescue and an immediate need for medical supplies, food, water, shelter,” Katsuyama said.
Going forward, money can enable the Japanese mobilize as they go into the next phase — assisting survivors.
“Many of those who were hit by the tsunami, in particular ... are without shelter, food and water and so the money is the quickest way to be able to mobilize those types of resources not only in the short-run but also in the longer term,” Katsuyama said.
Given the extent of the devastation, he assumes the need will continue for many more months.
Katsuyama reminds those wishing to help to donate to reputable organizations such as the Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders or his own organization, which is partnering with Dayton’s Asian-American Council to raise funds at local Chase banks and the group’s website (www.aac-dayton.org). One hundred percent of the funds raised through the Asian American Council will be forwarded to the Consulate General of Japan in Detroit, Katsuyama said.
Katsuyama, who was born during World War II in an internment camp, said his father is from Japan. His mother was born in California, but her parents are from Sendai, scene of the devastation. His daughter, Jana, formerly with WDTN-TV Channel 2 in Dayton, is now a reporter for KTVU-TV2 in San Francisco. She has just returned to the U.S. from covering the disaster in Japan.
Soteria Brown, marketing and communications specialist for the Dayton Area Chapter of the American Red Cross, said the Japanese Red Cross is highly experienced in disaster relief organization and has over two million volunteers.
“At the moment we’re just collecting funds and the money will go to help them continue relief operations,” she said. “Their volunteers are distributing relief items and making sure that displaced people are offered hot meals, and medical transportation.”
At least two area grocery stores are collecting money as well. On Monday, three Dorothy Lane Markets put up signs at registers encouraging customers to add a donation to their grocery bill. Contributions will be funneled through OxFam and can also be made online at their website.
Barbara Collins, assistant to Calvin Mayne, Chief Operating Officer for the stores, said the owners did extensive research before selecting OxFam to funnel contributions for the Haiti disaster.
“They are so well known for their international relief efforts,” she explained.
Kroger stores throughout the area are also collecting donations for American Red Cross Japan relief efforts with coin boxes at every register.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2440 or MMoss@DaytonDailyNews.com.
About the Author
