Reaching Out to Help Disaster Victims in Japan

As our thoughts and attention turns to Japan in this time of natural disaster, here is what the Salvation Army is doing to mobilize to help the earthquake and tsunami victims in that nation.

(Sacramento, CA)-Early Friday morning, a tsunami slammed Japan's eastern coast following a large earthquake that rocked the region. Early reports indicate extensive damage to property and significant loss of life.

Salvation Army personnel are assessing the damage and initiating recovery efforts.

The Salvation Army operates many programs and services in Japan. Japan’s Territorial Commander, Commissioner Makoto Yoshido, says the following:

“We are sending a team to Sendai tonight and will start providing the basic necessities as well as assessing the level of damage and what we can do from now on. We have opened our hall on the ground floor of our Territorial Headquarters building to those who could not go home. We were able to serve them with hot drinks and packed meals.”

The Salvation Army is asking for the public’s help to aid in the relief efforts in Japan. Those interested in helping are encouraged to give financial donations, which offer great flexibility and enable local disaster responders to purchase exactly what is needed as close to the disaster zone as possible.

There are four ways people can contribute money to The Salvation Army's 'Japan Earthquake / Tsunamis' disaster relief efforts:

- Text the words “Japan” or “Quake” to 80888 to make a $10 donation.
- By phone: 1-800-SAL-ARMY -- designate gift for 'Japan Earthquake / Tsunamis'
- On-line at: www.salvationarmy.usawest.org -- designate gift for 'Japan Earthquake / Tsunamis'
- By mail: Send your check, marked 'Japan Earthquake / Tsunamis' to
The Salvation Army World Service Office
International Relief Fund
PO Box 630728
Baltimore, MD 21263-0728

At this time, The Salvation Army is not accepting in-kind donations from the general public for disaster relief operations in Japan as it is extremely difficult and expensive to ship in-kind donations overseas from the United States to Japan. It is more efficient for disaster relief agencies to purchase needed resources locally and for immediate distribution with the disaster area. The best way for U.S. donors to help Japanese disaster survivors is to make a cash donation.