CAMP HANSEN, Okinawa -- A 9.0 magnitude earthquake, with an epicenter located 231 miles northeast of Tokyo, and subsequent tsunami has resulted in at least 9,199 deaths, 13,786 missing people and 2,722 injured people on mainland Japan as of March 22, according to the National Police Agency of Japan.
These natural disasters have damaged or destroyed nearly 37,700 buildings, 580 roads, 30 bridges and seven railways throughout the country, according to the United States Agency for International Development.
“USAID is coordinating the overall U.S. government efforts in support of the Japanese government’s response to the earthquakes and subsequent tsunami that hit March 11 and are currently directing individuals to www.usaid.gov for information about response donations,” according to a release from the White House Press Secretary.
Personnel looking for ways to help people on mainland Japan have several options.
USAID is currently encouraging “cash donations because they allow aid professionals to procure the exact items needed; reduce the burden on scarce resources such as transportation routes, staff time and warehouse space; can be transferred very quickly and without transportation costs; support the economy of the disaster-stricken region; and ensure culturally, dietary and environmentally appropriate assistance,” according to the Press Secretary’s release.
People are looking for ways to help those in the disaster-stricken region, but some organizations are not as honest as they appear, warns a Marine Corps Base Camp Butler official.
“(Computer users) should be on the lookout for unsolicited e-mails pertaining to the earthquake, nuclear reactors or tsunamis,” said Michael Miglionico, an information assurance officer with Marine Corps Base Camp Butler. “A lot of scams come out when things like this happen.”
These scams often circulate malicious software and scam people into donating funds to unscrupulous organizations instead of to the charities or causes they had intended, he added.
On American military bases, there are a number of authorized organizations collecting donations for relief efforts on mainland Japan.
The Kadena Youth Center on Kadena Air Base started collecting blankets, coats, baby supplies and hygiene items for the people on mainland Japan March 14. By that evening, the center had received all donations its warehouse could hold. In the one day of collections, the Kadena Youth Center collected more than 300 boxes of items for earthquake and tsunami victims.
“The donations just exploded,” said Geoff Rhinehart, the Kadena Youth Center director. “The community’s outreach has just been amazing.”
Center personnel are currently advising people to donate money through the American Red Cross offices located on Okinawa instead.
For the American Red Cross, “100 percent of all donations are going straight to the Japanese earthquake and tsunami relief,” said Kellie Premo, chairman of volunteers for Kadena’s American Red Cross office.
In addition to monetary donations, canned food contributions can be made at a drop box at the Camp Courtney commissary. Marine volunteers with 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, are coordinating this canned food drive with support from the Courtney commissary and Navy Marine Corps Federal Credit Union branch offices.
All Navy Federal Credit Union branch offices began collecting clothes, hygiene items, blankets and cash donations on the morning of March 15. By that afternoon, NFCU had all the material items it could handle and is now accepting monetary donations only.
The Armed Services Blood Bank is also in need of blood donations.
“There is a large need for blood right now as the blood bank is not only collecting donations for the relief efforts, but also for the upcoming Balikatan exercise,” said Douglas Kennedy, ASBB recruiter. “Without the blood (that the ASBB collects), we can’t give the patients a second chance. Be a hero’s hero.”
Donations are accepted on a walk-in or appointment basis or through the various blood drives around the island.
Those on Okinawa can donate to any earthquake/tsunami relief effort on island as individuals or as groups, but those donating as groups need to ensure they follow proper procedures.
It is against Department of Defense regulations to conduct fundraisers in federal workplaces, other than in support of the Combined Federal Campaign, the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society and other organizations composed primarily of DOD employees.
Before starting a fundraiser on Marine Corps bases, approval must be granted by the camp’s deputy commander, according to the Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler Inspector General’s Office.