On Thursday, March 31, AAR JAPAN’s Emergency Relief Teams stepped into three different prefectures in one day, visiting Higashi-Matsushima City in Miyagi, Yamada Town in Iwate, and Soma City in Fukushima. In addition, AAR JAPAN assisted a soup kitchen held in Ishinomaki City in Miyagi.
Triply-hit Residents Seek Help
All four locations covered on March 31 in Higashi-Matsushima and Yamada are the ones the AAR JAPAN’s Relief Teams have previously visited for delivery. On the second journey on this day, the Teams brought prepared-food pouches, toilet paper rolls, underwear, towels, etc., all of which had been requested at the time of the first distribution.
In downtown Soma Ciy, Fukushima, “Reception Center for Earthquake Survivors of Minami-Soma City” has been set up to collect relief items intended for the survivors at refuge centers and those who remain in their own houses in Minami-Soma City, a municipality triply crippled by the Earthquake, Tsunami, and a possible radioactive material leak from a nuclear power plant less than 30 km away. AAR JAPAN distributed to the Reception Center relief items that included underwear, jackets, mufflers, sanitary items for ladies, hand warmers, bananas, etc.
In Watanoha District in Ishinomaki City in Miyagi Prefecture, members of AAR JAPAN joined the staff of Peace Project to open a one-day soup kitchen. The Peace Project is a charity program jointly organized by Ingram Company and AAR JAPAN, in which a portion of sales of various items carrying “Peace Mark”, which Ingram Company holds a license of, is donated to AAR JAPAN.
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| At a soup kitchen held in Ishinomaki City, 1,200 survivors enjoyed a hearty bowl of warm Chinese noodle. |
Interim Office Established in Morioka
AAR JAPAN has used its office in Sendai City in Miyagi Prefecture for a base of operations covering all neighboring prefectures. In view of strengthening activities in Iwate Prefecture, an additional office has been opened in Morioka, the prefectural capital.
List of Destinations on March 31
Yamada Town, Iwate Prefecture
-Rikuchu-Coast Juvenile Center (Refuge center, 240 survivors)
Higashi-Matsushima City, Miyagi Prefecture
-No.2 Kyosei-en Headquarters (Welfare facility for persons with disabilities, 100 survivors)
-No.2 Kyosei-en Workshop Ward (Welfare facility for persons with disabilities, 25 survivors)
-Izumi no Sato (Welfare facility for the aged, 30 survivors)
Watanoha District, Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture (Soup kitchen)
Soma City, Fukushima Prefecture
-Relief Items Reception Center for Earthquake Survivors of Minami-Soma City
ASSIST EARTHQUAKE SURVIVORS PICK UP COURAGE
