How To REALLY Help People In Need In Japan
Many friends asked us what they can do to help the people in Japan. After many emails and Skype calls with family and friends, here are Don’ts and Dos of helping.
The biggest problem is getting things through. This problem will increase. Supermarket shelves even in downtown Tokyo are bare. No rice, no milk, no pasta. Two reasons: People stocked up. And the distribution system broke down. Roads and ports of the world’s largest importer of agricultural products are closed.
The situation in outlying areas is worse. The logistical problems in a densely populated country with most road and rail by the sea will be staggering.
Please do send money. Pretty much the only thing that works is the Internet, and money can be sent electronically to where it is needed the most.
Money is needed most in the Sendai area, where whole towns and villages were wiped out with tens of thousands unaccounted for.
- Text ‘JAPAN’ or ‘QUAKE’ to 80888 to make a $10 donation or visit SalvationArmyUSA.org.
- Text ‘REDCROSS’ to 90999 to donate $10 to the American Red Cross.
- Text ‘MED’ to 80888 to donate $10 to Internationalmedicalcorps.org.
- Text ‘JAPAN’ to 50555 to donate $10 to Globalgiving.org
The donation will show up on your next phone bill.
To donate to the Red Cross from anywhere in the world, use this link and pick “Japan: earthquake and tsunami”
These are trustworthy organizations. Be careful of shams and scams.
If you can’t send money, please send a link to some friends.
Toyota donated 300 million yen ($3.6 million) “for relief and recovery efforts in communities affected.” Toyota is “also considering the provision of goods and services as needed.”
Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.
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Bertel, thanks for the links and reminder that even a small donation goes a long way. Please give what you can and then dig a little deeper.
Also, check and see if you can get a donation match from your employer or any other large organization of which you are a member. The place I work for is matching employees donations with 100% of both the employee collection and the company match going to the Red Cross. May as well leverage your donation as much as possible if you have the opportunity.