Tzu Chi Kicks Off Street Fundraising for Japan Earthquake Relief

Starting tomorrow, Tzu Chi volunteers across the US will be collecting donations for disaster relief in Japan, including our Bay Area chapters. Volunteers have already contacted store owners in nearby Mountain View, who have given permission for Tzu Chi to set up charity stations. If you want to help out with fundraising, here is the list of locations close to campus:

Shift times: 10-12 PM, 12-2 PM, 2-4 PM
1. Kyo-Po Supermarket (3379 El Camino Real, Santa Clara)
2. 99 Ranch Market in Mountain View (1350 Grant Road, Mountain View)
3. Nijiya Market (143 East El Camino Real, Mountain View)

Shift times: 11:30-1:30 PM, 1:30pm-3:30 PM
4. New Mongolian BBQ (304 Castro St, Mountain View)
5. Queen House 元寶之家 (273 Castro St, Mountain View)

Tzu Chi volunteers will be recognizable in their blue and white uniforms. If there's interest in going to help out, just send us an e-mail. (khsu@stanford.edu and melhsiao@stanford.edu)

Another way you can help is to make a donation online:

Visit http://northerncal.us.tzuchi.org/nc.nsf/home/index for our local Tzu Chi chapter; you can use PayPal or Google Checkout to make a contribution to relief efforts.

and by keeping the people of Japan in our thoughts and prayers.

Japan Earthquake: DaAi TV News Clips 大愛電視台

*In Chinese. English-language clips soon.

Relief Center Opens in Japan, Provides Hot Meals
日本分會開放 提供熱食飲水

http://www.newdaai.tv/?view=detail&id=80158

Earthquake Command Center to Coordinate Relief
日震災協調中心 任務分組愛馳援

http://www.newdaai.tv/?view=detail&id=80175

Conference with Tzu Chi's founder, Dharma Master Cheng Yen
上人開示 天地負重大不調 戒慎祈福遠災難

http://www.newdaai.tv/?view=detail&id=80161

Video from major earthquake in Japan; Tzu Chi plans to raise funds for relief
日本強震視訊 慈濟規劃募款

http://www.newdaai.tv/?view=detail&id=80174

Japan Earthquake: Status updates from Tzu Chi HQ and Japan

Hi all,

Here are some status updates from Tzu Chi HQ and Tzu Chi Japan. In the US, Tzu Chi volunteers will begin street fundraising to support the relief efforts on Sunday (March 13). Please stay tuned for how we can help!

Global Headquarters (Hualien, Taiwan)

• An emergency command center at Tzu Chi headquarters was established on March 11 to coordinate earthquake relief efforts
• Command center staff held a video conference with Tzu Chi's Japan branch to find out what aid was needed
• Tzu Chi headquarters has prepared 50 tons of instant rice and 17,000 environmentally-friendly blankets to be delivered as soon as flights can take off

Tzu Chi Japan

• Tzu Chi members distributed 500 hot meals to people stranded on Tokyo streets because of power outages and traffic jams
• The foundation’s Tokyo branch has opened a relief center to help those affected by the biggest earthquake in the history of Japan. Located on the branch’s first floor, it began operations at 6.30 p.m. on Friday, less than four hours after the quake.
• The center is providing people with hot food, snacks, Internet service to contact their loved ones, a place to rest and sleep, and comfort for those in shock.
• Volunteers checked on the safety of their fellow Tzu Chi members in the affected areas. All those in Tokyo, Kanagawa and Kansai reported in safely. But it was impossible to contact those close to the epicenter of the quake, in Utsunomiya and Gunma and Yamanashi prefectures. The volunteers will continue to try to make contact with them.

Related Articles
Tzu Chi Japan Opens Relief Centre after Catastrophic Earthquake (March 12) http://bit.ly/hLM5bw
Tzu Chi begins distributing warm food to earthquake victims (March 12) http://bit.ly/fZXnnx
Tzu Chi set up Earthquake Command Center (March 11) http://bit.ly/fLTBUA

Japan Earthquake and Tsunami - Disaster Relief Coordination Center

Hi everyone,

As you've probably heard, Japan just experienced a major earthquake, followed hours later by a tsunami. Tzu Chi volunteers in Asia are mobilizing, and the CEO of Tzu Chi USA's Northwest Region just sent a status update. Please stay tuned for how we can help.

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Dear Sisters and Brothers,

Last night, Japan experienced its largest-ever earthquake. A Tzu Chi Relief Center was rapidly set up and reported in to Tzu Chi global headquarters and Dharma Master Cheng Yen. The US Emergency Response Team is also in contact with Taiwan HQ for status updates. (The disaster briefing they presented to Master Cheng Yen is attached.)

Let us wish for the road to recovery to be smooth and quick. We are awaiting instructions from headquarters for any support that we can provide.

Let's also raise our awareness and level of alertness to be prepared for earthquakes, which can strike anywhere without notice.

Regards,
Minjhing Hsieh

Japan Earthquake Briefing (in Chinese): http://bit.ly/glsGFK

[Original Chinese]

大家好：

日本於加州時間昨晚 9:46 PM 發生大地震，引發海嘯，「慈濟日本強震海嘯賑災協調中心」隨即成立，向 上人稟報災情。總會 ERT 立即與本會聯繫，了解狀況，附上賑災協調中心簡報。讓我們戒慎虔誠，祈願災情早日得以控制，生命財產損失降到最低，我們會配合本會採取協助，並自我提高警覺，為地震的可能性做好準備。

無限感恩！
明晉（濟晉）合十