I have donated to many organizations but this one is close to my heart - my alma mater, The American School In Japan (ASIJ), located in Tokyo. I am ALWAYS proud to be an alumna of this great institution BUT I am EVEN MORE PROUDER after reading what the school has done and step up to help the people in the TOHOKU Region.
I received an email from the school early this morning which I'd like to share with you...
"Japan Relief Update: April 12
It has now been a month since the March 11 disater and in the last few weeks our community has really come together to respond to the situation in Tohoku. The ASIJ community and our friends, including international schools and organizations from all over the world, have already contributed over $65,000 directly into the ASIJ Japan Relief Fund. These funds are supporting our own direct relief efforts in northern Japan. If you would like to make your own contribution, please click here.
With the money raised already we purchased 400 desks and school supplies for four elementary and junior high schools in Ishinomaki City that lost everything in the earthquake and tsunami. Two faculty and staff relief trips to Tagajo and Kesenuma to take up specific supplies and cook dinner for over 360 people were also funded. For many survivors it was their first hot meal in a couple of weeks. Another group of 28 ASIJ employees will travel to Tagajo to volunteer and clean-up the homes of residents so they can move back to their neighborhoods. Long-term, we hope to identify schools in the Fukushima and/or Miyagi areas that ASIJ can assist in their rebuilding efforts.
Each of the school divisions has also started various collections: the Middle School and ELC are collecting ¥500 coins. The “ASIJ MS Cares” collection has already passed ¥189,000. Employees and students in the Elementary and High Schools have contributed and collected everything from toothbrushes to diapers and ready-to-eat food to yo-yos. A total of seven vans full of goods have been forwarded to our neighbor, the Tama Church, our long-time partner Second Harvest Japan, Tagajo City and most recently the Peace Boat—a Japan-based NGO that quickly organized deliveries up to hard-hit Ishinomaki City.
It’s been heart-warming to see how proud our students are when they drop their items into the collection box each morning and be a part of this good work. Students in grades 5 to 12 are also enjoying sorting and boxing the contributions and taking the packages to the RT lobby for dispatch. Everyone is clearly embracing the goal of helping folks up north as much as possible as quickly as possible.
Our PTAs, faculty, student councils and various student clubs are already raising money or are planning dozens of activities to help the ASIJ Japan Relief Fund, including a Futsal tournament just this past Saturday and today’s Variety Show, which evacuees being housed at Ajinomoto Stadium are invited. On April 24, there will be an alumni soccer tourney in support of the fund and many more activities will run through May, including the rescheduled Spring Gala on Sunday May 1.
At ASIJ, we believe in our mission of “developing compassionate, inquisitive learners prepared for global responsibilities.” There will never be a better time than now to live our mission and join hands with others. Thank you to everyone in our community who is helping us achieve this.
If you have any questions on any of these relief activities, or have ideas of your own, please contact the Alumni Office at alumni@asij.ac.jp.
If you would like to make a contribution to the Japan Relief Fund online, please click here."
Continued good thoughts and prayers to Japan :0)
Thanks for stopping by!
P.S. My family are still doing OK...some have plans to come to the States for summer break and in Chicago!! YEAH!! I can't wait to see them!
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