Real estate groups organize Japan relief efforts

I have family living in southwestern Japan, in Munakata City, about 800 miles from the nuclear disaster site. They reported towards the end of last week that they are starting to see scarcity of food and supplies in their own region because people living there are buying things to send or take to the more affected areas. I think living on an island would be very difficult. I have a cousing on the USS George Washington, in Yokosuko near Tokyo. After the quake he still had power at his apartment in Tokyo but since all of the transportation has been shut down I think he’s staying on the ship. He is not leaving Japan, and in yesterday’s Stars and Stripes (news by and for the members of the military) had an article that stated their evacuation was completely voluntary (for families iiving on base and nearby). The Stars and Stripes has a page dedicated to the Earthquake Disaster in Japan. So I have been able to get some information through other channels than just the media. It is very difficult for them, they have lived there for 33 years and they have friends they can’t get ahold of and don’t know if they are alive or not. Hopping in your car and driving towards the disaster zone probably is not a good idea (although occasionally may be difficult to resist getting involved in finding your friends).

World Vision collecting donations for Japan reliefIn an article today (Inman News), ANDREA V. BRAMBILA reports that since the 9.0 magnitude earthquake and resulting tsunami in Japan some real estate groups are organizing relief efforts for the country’s short- and long-term needs.

From the Inman article,

The National Association of REALTORS® has recommended four organizations it believes are “well equipped” to provide disaster relief services. These are AmeriCares, Habitat for Humanity International, UNICEF-USA and World Vision.

NAR reports that some members have received “scam e-mails from organizations, some calling themselves real estate associations, purporting to collect money for Japanese tsunami relief.”

Related to the Seattle area,

The Seattle-King County Association of REALTORS®, the official NAR Ambassador Association to four nationwide real estate associations in Japan, is accepting donations by mail and online [via PayPal] to The REALTORS® Environmental Council (TREC) for long-term relief projects in the country, including those devoted to rebuilding and shelter.

“TREC will identify suitable relief projects in consultation with our affiliated real estate associations in Japan. Once the appropriate and qualified projects are identified, TREC will forward 100 percent of the donations we receive,” the association said on its website.

You can click “Give Now” on the right to donate immediately to World Vision.

Click to read the complete article Real estate groups organize Japan relief efforts

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