Emergency Relief for the Tohoku Kanto Earthquake
Peace Boat expresses its deepest condolences to all those affected by the earthquake and subsequent tsunami of March 11, 2011 (Friday).
Peace Boat is now conducting emergency relief efforts for those suffering as a result of this disaster. Please see below links for reports and information about how to donate both money and material goods, and how to volunteer.
We thank you kindly for your cooperation.
|
|
Dear Peace Boat Friends,
Shortly after a large earthquake and tsunami
struck Japan on March 11, friends from
throughout the world began expressing their
concern for Peace Boat staff members and
condolences for all of Japan. We would like
to thank all of those who have been
keeping us in their thoughts, and we hope you
know much your messages have helped to
encourage us and inspire us. It's truly
astounding how people around the world have
raced to fill great swathes of suffering and l
oss here with messages of comfort and solidarity.
Ever since the Great Hanshin Earthquake of
1995, Peace Boat has quickly organized
emergency relief efforts in disaster-struck
locations around the world, and currently we
are carrying out relief operations in Ishinomaki,
a city in Miyagi Prefecture that was hit by a
tsunami less than 5 minutes after a 9.0
magnitude earthquake struck, giving residents little time to flee. Located in the northeastern part of Japan,
the death told in Miyagi Prefecture alone is
expected to exceed 15,000 according to
Japanese officials, and tens of thousands are
taking refuge in impromptu evacuation centers.
Our staff members have established a
base camp in Ishinomaki, and already helped
in the delivery and distribution of more than 10
tons of aid such as blankets, water and food
in cooperation with local authorities. This
Friday, March 25, Peace Boat will lead a team
of 50 volunteers to Ishinomaki to begin
preparing 500 hot and nutritious meals per
day for victims--many of
whom have had little or nothing to eat during the
past week-and eventually we will boost the
number of meals to 2,000 per day.
Much remains to be done in Ishinomaki,
including clearing the city of debris,
rebuilding devasted structures, and providing psychological support to those who lost their homes and or loved ones. Peace Boat is committed to providing long-term
support for the city, and has established a
Peace Boat Tohoku Kanto Earthquake
Emergency Relief effort that anyone can help
support though donations or volunteering.
To learn more about these efforts, please
visit our website at:
http://bit.ly/peaceboat_relief . Regular
updates, including photos of the many
activities taking place here in our Tokyo office
as well as on the ground in Ishinomaki, can
also be found on our
Facebook page at:
https://www.facebook.com/PBsaigai
Support for these efforts is vital, as providing
2,000 meals per day to people in
Ishinomaki will cost approximately $2,000 USD per day, and we greatly appreciate contributions of any size. We would be grateful if you could take a moment to learn
more about our relief efforts, and also share the
news with your friends and acquaintances.
If you have any questions about them, please
do not hesitate to let us know.
We look forwarding to taking the goodwill of
the international community to the
Kanto/Tohoku region, and thank you in advance
for your help in rebuilding the lives of some
450,000 people still without homes today.
Sincerely,
Yoshioka Tatsuya, Director,
and all the staff members of Peace Boat
|
|
