[Signal Boost] What you can do to help Japan

[blue_cage]

Originally posted by tomboy_typist at [Signal Boost] What you can do to help Japan

Reposting and boosting from gehayi 's post. 

The American Red Cross is taking donations. You can even specify where you want the donation to go. (Note If you specify where you want the funds to go, said donations will be earmarked for that country alone, instead of any excess being funneled to others in need.)

The British Red Cross has a disaster fund, if not a special fund for the earthquake victims.



Convoy of Hope is already helping the earthquake and tsunami victims, and is accepting donations.

Network for Good--a collection of charities--is working to give relief to the victims of the quake and tsunami. The organizations participating are: 

( relief for your flist )

You can also go to help_japan  on LJ.  They're having a fandom auction, starting on March 14th. All proceeds are going to vetted charities.

Note: updated post based on comments.

On a quick note: people I know who currently have auctions running:

• hostilecrayon's fic thread
  
• midori_lover's thread for icons and headers
  
• thefourthvine's offer to review a series/film/episode of choice
  
• verloren1983's offer for brownies (seriously they sound nummy if I lived in the US I'd bid D: )
  
• daisy_chan's offer of a crocheted hat
  
• twhitesakura's offer for fic

• Other threads/offers (not necessarily in help_japan
  flonbonne's offer for fic for donations to the Red Cross

I'll make a more rambly post about life later.

Comments

[jade-mushroom.livejournal.com]

just a note: specifying where the donated money is to be used is sometimes unhelpful, especially in a developed nation such as Japan. During the tsunami, there was an excess of money which was earmarked for that disaster only. They ended up having to constructing excessive housing in Thailand, rather than using the funds for helping others elsewhere.

Also, Red Cross >> Salvation Army. The latter has been known to turn ppl away based on their sexual orientation.

[blue-cage.livejournal.com]

Wow, I didn't know that. For us, when a disaster strikes pretty much all the funding is funneled to said disaster, because the government rarely has enough for the disaster fund to provide for the victims. :|

We actually don't have a local chapter for the Salvation Army, so I've never heard about the discrimination re: sexual orientation. Thanks for the heads up.

[jade-mushroom.livejournal.com]

there was a lot of discussion in some of my political science courses about the repercussions of donations that are earmarked for a location. if you give the Red Cross $100 earmarked for the Japanese tsunami, they HAVE to spend it, and only there. So theoretically if they will be forced to overspend in Japan, and neglect a less media coveraged crisis elsewhere [say... Libya?]

Salvation Army and United Way are pretty well known for discrimination on sexual orientation and gender identity. They've turned away transgender homeless people, and have used donated funds to sue NY to prevent having to give domestic partnership benefits to their employees. They threatened to close all their homeless kitchens in NYC.

[jade-mushroom.livejournal.com]

Articles on earmarked donations
http://goodintents.org/choosing-a-charity/dont-earmark-your-donation
http://www2.guidestar.org/rxa/news/articles/2005/importance-of-respecting-donor-wishes.aspx?articleId=769

Salvation Army [discriminates on basis of religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, immigrant status, and conducts backdoor political donations]
http://www.39online.com/news/local/kiah-salvation-army-immigration-story,0,3222170.story
http://www.aclu.org/religion-belief/nyclu-sues-salvation-army-religious-discrimination-against-employees-government-fund
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2001/07/10/politics/main300601.shtml
http://chicago.gopride.com/news/article.cfm/ArticleID/1824489

[jade-mushroom.livejournal.com]

I really should be writing a paper on domestic terrorism instead of looking for more articles...

Salvation Army evicts an entire apartment complex of women, and argues in court that as a church it can do so, exempt from NY tenant laws
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/12964.html

[blue-cage.livejournal.com]

Deleted the link to Salvation Army; as I said before, the things they did - and probably are still doing - appalls me :(

[iphridian.livejournal.com]

http://community.livejournal.com/arashi_on/3747412.html <- Arashi On Fundraising Drive (fics, icons, translations, etc) as well.

http://community.livejournal.com/arashi_on/3749990.html <- Arashi On Fundraising Garage Sale

[blue-cage.livejournal.com]

Will add those when I make another post :D

[jactinglim.livejournal.com]

great post :)

[blue-cage.livejournal.com]

It's more like copy-pasta, but I sure hope it helps in directing people's efforts to the best channels!

[hostilecrayon.livejournal.com]

Luff. <3

[blue-cage.livejournal.com]

Hope your auction turns out okay!

[twhitesakura.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the pimpage as I'm still looking for a bidder. ♥

[blue-cage.livejournal.com]

*hopes along with you*