Local Students Raise Money for Japan Relief Effort

Students led by Yuhei Hikasa (third from the left) and Lyman Pitman, director of the Missouri Office of the Japan-America Academic Center (second from the right)

Cape Girardeau, MO -- Japanese students at Southeast Missouri State University raised money for the disaster victims of the Japan earthquake and tsunami. Over a two week period at the end of March the students raised $4,026.80 which they gave to the American Red Cross Southeast Missouri Chapter for the Japan relief effort.

On March 11 a magnitude 9.0 earthquake on the Richter scale struck near the east coast of Honshu, Japan and caused a 23-foot tsunami that swept the northern part of the country. Over 12,000 people have been killed, more than 15,000 people are missing and thousands more are now homeless.

The American Red Cross has given several million dollars to the Japan earthquake and Pacific tsunami response, specifically the Japanese Red Cross, which is providing direct emergency relief, medical services and emotional counseling to affected communities. The American Red Cross has also been assisting in the voluntary evacuations of military families from Japan.

Immediately after the earthquake and tsunami, the Red Cross dispatched relief items from stocks to assist those affected, and has provided 125,500 blankets and 25,000 emergency kits. The Red Cross is increasing its relief operations for survivors in evacuation centers and is planning to provide supplies for 100,000 people. It is also working with local authorities on ways to help people still living in evacuation centers.

Red Cross volunteers and staff in Japan continue to provide health care, emotional support activities and relief items to people affected. The Japanese Red Cross has dozens of medical teams operating in Red Cross hospitals and mobile clinics treating those affected by the disasters. The Japanese Red Cross is a highly experienced disaster relief organization with 2 million registered volunteers, many of whom have responded to help their neighbors affected by the earthquake, tsunami and evolving nuclear emergency.

Contact the Red Cross to learn how you can help the victims of the Japan earthquake and tsunami by going to www.semoredcross.org or www.redcross.org.

About the American Red Cross: The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and counsels victims of disasters; provides nearly half of the nation's blood supply; teaches lifesaving skills; and supports military members and their families. The American Red Cross is a charity, not a government agency, and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its humanitarian mission.