USJC Earthquake Relief Fund Report - US-Japan Council

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The USJC Earthquake Relief Fund Proudly Supported: Two Sansei photojournalists from Los Angeles tell of the night they slept on the floor with dozens of homeless people in Minimisanriku. A young mother in Tokyo decides to start a non-profit organization for other mothers and their newborn babies from the Tohoku region. A former diplomat makes a life-changing decision to quit his career and start a non-profit that promotes food grown in Tohoku. One of Japan's most innovative and successful business Debra Nakatomi on KTLA leaders talks about how the earthquake and tsunami could be an opportunity to create a new Japan. These are some of the “Stories From Tohoku: With Heart and Hope,” a documentary in production by U.S.-Japan Council Members Dianne Fukami and Debra Nakatomi, with funding from the USJC Earthquake Relief Fund. An excerpt on social innovation and social entrepreneurship was screened at the March 5th, 2012 symposium in Sendai, Empowering Civil Society for the Future of Japan; an excerpt on children and families was screened at a symposium in San Francisco on the U.S response to Tohoku; Dianne Fukami was featured in interviews for the Oakland Tribune and KQED-FM. The completion date is set for 2013. Art in a Box provided ten boxes of art supplies to students in the Tohoku region. Each box included necessary materials and art supplies to conduct art classes for 36 students. Three Environmental Art Lesson Plans translated into Japanese and three sets of Classroom Art Resource Packages were also included. Each box contained a selection of hand-painted note cards created by American students in an expression of support and encouragement. The boxes of art supplies were delivered to schools and community centers in Fukushima and Miyagi prefectures. Yellow-rumped Warbler This painting was created by Alyssa Tandingan, age 13, from Benjamin Franklin Middle School in Teaneck, New Jersey 3
The USJC Earthquake Relief Fund Proudly Supported: Ashinaga, a Tokyo-based non-profit, named for the 1912 American novel Daddy-Long-Legs, has provided educational funding and psychological support to 85,000 children who have lost one or both parents—or who have a parent with a serious disability—resulting from disaster, illness, accident or suicide for over 40 years. Ashinaga funding enables students to complete high school and pursue higher education. The disbursement from the USJC Earthquake Relief Fund helped Ashinaga begin construction on a “Rainbow House” in Sendai for Tohoku orphans, similar to one established in Kobe after the Great Hanshin Earthquake in January 1995. The facility will provide emotional and psychological care to children who lost parents or guardians, or whose parent/guardian sustained a severe disability, in connection with the Great East Japan Earthquake. They are now working to raise 3.5 billion yen (US $45 million) for the facilities, and hope to complete them in 2014. The Tohoku Rainbow House will include: Accommodations for 100-200 orphans Facilities for psychosocial care: gymnastics room, auditorium, art rooms, music rooms and rooms for talking and sharing Facilities for lectures Student dormitory facilities Meet Daichi Saito from Miyagi Prefecture: WWW.ASHINAGA.ORG/EN Ashinaga participated in the 2012 HONDA LA Marathon with 15 high school and college athletes from the Tohoku region. The athletes from Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures ran in the biggest international marathon on the West Coast as a part of efforts to appeal for support for the Tohoku Rainbow House. Two male and female high school students who lost parents in the tsunami spoke about their experiences and hopes for the future at various events in Los Angeles including a summit co- hosted by the U.S.-Japan Council and the office of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Below: Ashinaga students recently orphaned by the tsunami fundraising in New York City where they met with Americans orphaned by 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina. — Photo credit: Ashinaga He lost his father in the tsunami. As his mother was having difficulties making ends meet, he was planning not to apply for further study but to enter the workforce instead. Daichi received a special one-time scholarship from the Ashinaga Scholarship Foundation and was able to once again consider attending college. He decided to pursue the field of life saving and rescue and resolved not to be resentful of the ocean despite his father’s death. After studying fifteen hours a day, and under fierce competition, he was accepted to the Maritime Safety Academy. Daichi bravely spoke at the March 13th Summit in Los Angeles. 4
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USJC Earthquake Relief Fund Report - US-Japan Council

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