Message from JETAA Toronto
As part of the ongoing Earthquake & Tsunami relief efforts JETAA Toronto will be collecting donations at all of our events. At this stage the focus is on disaster relief and 100% of funds collected will be donated directly to the Canadian Red Cross to help provide food, water, shelter and medical care to those who need it most. Tax receipts will be issued for donations $10 and over.
The events that have occurred in the last week in Japan have been labelled by Emperor Akihito as Japan’s worst humanitarian disaster since World War II. The situation began with an earthquake and tsunami that devastated regions of the northeast and has continued with aftershocks and the threat of nuclear meltdown. There are estimates of over 10,000 people dead or missing and 450,000 displaced in temporary shelters. The international community has been quick to act and the first responders like Red Cross and Global Medic have been deployed in the areas of greatest need to provide food, water, shelter and medical care. The truth is — this is only the beginning. Disaster relief efforts are only the first phase of what will be a long recovery process.
On Tuesday March 16th the Japan Canada Network Organization (JCNO) held an emergency meeting at the JCCC. A meeting that normally has 15 – 20 members in attendance expanded to over 80 people and included representatives of the community, businesses, media and the Red Cross. The JCNO decided collectively that each individual organization would allocate donation funds to the Red Cross at this point. JETAA Toronto is currently in the process of arranging a Third-Party Fundraising Agreement with the Red Cross.
At the JCNO meeting there was a Japanese woman who has several family members in the affected area, all of which are unaccounted for. In this trying time it is only through that type of support from every organization that she has been able to persevere.
It was very evident that the community is mobilizing as every organization in attendance is holding fundraisers or modifying their current events to include fundraising for relief efforts. We will be releasing a special newsletter that will highlight all of the upcoming events.
We have received numerous emails and calls from our membership interested in volunteering both here and abroad. At this point we are organizing local fundraising efforts. Once the situation stabilizes we will explore other opportunities.
Thank you to everyone for your support of relief efforts.
Respectfully,
Chris Draenos
Chair JETAA Toronto