How to Donate to help with the Catastrophe in Japan by Kevin McCarthy

The city of Sendai is in the heart of the catastrophe that is unfolding in Japan as a result of the 9.0 earthquake and subsequent tsunami. Sendai became Riverside's first Sister City in 1957. 

This disaster needs an immediate response for donations. The only useful gift at this point in the disaster is money. Please do not send items of any kind. It may be appropriate to send donations of clothing or cleaning materials after the needs have been better identified; but not yet. Instructions for making donations are listed below.

According to Los Angeles Japanese Daily News, Riverside Mayor Ron Loveridge said, "Riverside sends its prayers and thoughts to Japan and especially to its sister city Sendai. This beautiful city and its people have been our partners for over 50 years. The City of Riverside stands ready to provide any assistance requested by the federal agencies coordinating the earthquake relief and support efforts."

According to the Voice of America (VOANews)*, "As search and rescue efforts continue in northeastern Japan, following the country's worst natural disaster, millions of survivors there are trying to get on with life."

"Many of are facing scarcities of daily necessities and spending much of their waking hours waiting in lines.  It is a situation younger Japanese have never faced and only have heard about from their parents and grandparents who survived adversity during and after World War II."

 "The killer waves reached three kilometers inland here, leveling buildings and trees.  Half of the city's one-million people have no electricity in their homes. Hundreds of thousands of residences and businesses are also without water."

Please remember, someone losing their home due to a mortgage failure or to a home fire is experiencing their own disaster.

So please continue to give at home.

But at times like these we need to do something extra. As Dr. Lawrence T. Geraty, the President of Riverside's International Relations Council (IRC) said,  

"If this disaster happened to us, Sendai would be the first to send us aid."

WAYS TO GIVE

• The IRC is setting up a fund to send to Sendai. The funds will be managed at no cost by the City of Riverside. If you wish to contribute, please go to www.riversideca.gov/sendairelief   

• If you wish to help, the American Red Cross is accepting donations. You may donate via the Internet at riversidecounty.redcross.org or you may call 1-800-RED CROSS

• If you wish to give through the United Way of the Inland Valleys please go to our our website uwiv.org and click on the DONATE NOW button then select the Sendai Relief Fund option. These funds will be forwarded with no administrative costs (However, the quickest way to get donations to the disaster is through the Red Cross.)

*RE-ESTABLISH CONTACT WITH FAMILY/FRIENDS IN JAPAN

• The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), working closely with the Japanese Red Cross, has launched a special Family Links website to help people seeking to re-establish contact with family members and friends.  The website is www.icrc.org/familylinks.       The Red Cross is still unable to accept International Disaster Inquiries for Japan. Please use the International Committee of the Red Cross website listed above. For more information and to view other Family Linking Resources please click here.

• Families in Japan requiring assistance should contact the Department of State by email at: JapanEmergencyUSC@state.gov or by phone 03-3224-5000 or 03-3505-1862 (fax). Note: telecommunications are impacted in Japan and may not be fully functioning.