Short-term Options:
- You can donate to UNICEF. UNICEF is on the ground in Japan distributing bottled water, clothes, and other vital supplies: UNICEF
- Donate to the American Red Cross, which is helping the Japanese Red Cross bring relief to the Japanese disaster victims: REDCROSS
Issue: Japanese Crisis 2011
On March 11 of this year, catastrophe struck Japan. An earthquake of 9.0 on the Richter scale hit the nation, and tsunamis rolled in. These natural disasters caused three nuclear reactors to begin oozing radiation into the surrounding environment. Radiation has traveled as far as the United States, while local Japanese water supplies and sources of food have become contaminated with high levels of radiation. 10,000 people were killed and 260,000 were displaced. The world community, however, is banding together to help them in their time of crisis.
For further information and service ideas:
Long-term Options:
Long-term options: Unfortunately, at this point there are no opportunities for long term projects in Japan, since organizations are not sending volunteers to Japan. Japan is in a critical situation, which means that untrained volunteers might actually get in the way of professional relief efforts, becoming a hindrance, not a help. However, there are still ways to increase your involvement and help those in Japan.
- Start a donation drive at your school for any of the listed organizations.
- Raise awareness and funds by holding a fundraising event in your community or school. This could be a concert, bake sale, dance, ice cream social, or any other such activity.
- Start a fund-raising club or group at your school which would host multiple events like those described above.
- Hold a collection contest at your school. Have a sponsor provide pizza for the classroom which collects the most money for Japan.