Disaster Relief

Among the U.S. Haitian community, time has not lessened the impact of the quake that struck on Jan. 12, 2010, leaving hundreds of thousands dead and more than a million still homeless. Ever since, it seems even the most ordinary Haitian-Americans have transformed into mom-and-pop philanthropists. There is hardly a person of Haitian descent who hasn't felt the need to help out — even in the smallest of ways. It's a kind of micro-aid that is tiny in scale but largely consistent.

Ten days after the devastating earthquake and tsunamis in Japan, American donors have contributed more than $136-million for relief efforts, according to a Chronicle tally. Nearly two-thirds of the total has been raised by one organization, the American Red Cross.

The rate of donations is slower than after last year’s earthquake in Haiti and after 2005’s Hurricane Katrina. Nine days after the disaster in Haiti, donors had contributed more than $355-million, and nine days after Katrina they had given more than $740-million.

With an estimated 440,000 people living in shelters following the devastating earthquake and tsunami that struck northeastern Japan on Friday, contributions from corporations have outpaced those from individuals and are on track to surpass corporate support for disaster relief efforts in Haiti after that country was struck by a devastating earthquake in 2010, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Business Civic Leadership Center reports.

Disasters are a fast way to get donors to give. But wealthy Japan is not impoverished Haiti, and many groups are raising money without really knowing how it will be spent or even if it's needed. The Japanese Red Cross has said repeatedly since the day after the earthquake that it does not want or need outside assistance. But that has not stopped the American Red Cross from raising $34 million through Tuesday afternoon in the name of Japan’s disaster victims.

The Twitter stream, which last month proved to be a vital link for anti-government protesters in the Middle East, quickly turned into a worldwide forum for comfort, heartbreak and hope for Japan's quake-stricken residents.

Social-networking powerhouses Twitter and Facebook once again became important communications tools in a natural disaster.

JPMorgan Chase is extending a helping hand to Japan in the aftermath of the country’s worst earthquake on record.

The financial services company is committing $5 million to near-term relief and recovery efforts in Japan.

The company’s contribution to the relief efforts will be divided into employee and company donations. JPMorgan Chase Japan already has pledged $1.1 million to relief efforts and the company will match $1 million in employee contributions to The American Red Cross and World Vision. The remaining funds will be donated to charitable and relief organizations.

Early donation totals are starting to come in from charities raising money to aid victims of the earthquake and tsunamis in Japan. Among them:

• The American Red Cross had raised $7.75-million as of Sunday afternoon.
• International Medical Corps so far has raised $11,830 via text message.
• Mercy Corps had received more than $500,000 as of Monday morning.
• The Salvation Army has received $62,000 in cellphone donations.
• Save the Children had raised $2.5-million in the U.S. as of Monday morning.
• World Vision U.S. had received $848,000 as of Monday morning.

The Christian Broadcasting Network's Operation Blessing International has joined relief agencies from the U.S. and around the world for a massive humanitarian relief effort in Japan in the wake of Friday's devastating earthquake and tsunami.

The charity aid organization based in Virginia Beach, Va., already has representatives meeting with Japanese church and government leaders to evaluate people's needs and to see how to help.

mGive will provide the technology platform behind several mobile donation campaigns raising funds for the Japan earthquake and Pacific tsunami relief efforts, including:

• The American Red Cross – Text REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10
• Convoy of Hope – Text TSUNAMI to 50555 to donate $10
• GlobalGiving – Text JAPAN to 50555 to donate $10
• World ReliefCorp of National Association of Evangelicals – Text WAVE to 50555 to donate $10

The strongest-ever earthquake to hit Japan triggered a tsunami that moved across the Pacific Ocean. The Associated Press reports that at least 300 people have already died.

Here are early responses from large international-aid charities, grant makers, and other groups: