Natural Disasters

11　Volunteering

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11　Volunteering

  • If you send items to a disaster-struck area, it will take a long time to arrive. By the time it arrives, the needs of the people there may have changed.
    Additionally, when a lot of things are sent to an area affected by a disaster, sorting and distributing them can be an arduous task.

    On the other hand, there may be those who are struggling from lack of access to foods they can eat (allergy-safe, halal, vegetarian, etc.), to reading glasses or hearing aids, or to medical supplies, etc.

    ☞　Glossary: Halal food

    Before you do anything, make sure the area affected by the disaster is accepting food and clothing donations.
    Next, think about whether those necessities will be able to arrive in a timely manner.
    Sometimes, sending money is better than sending goods.

    Check the following page for information on what to be careful about when sending items after a disaster.

    ■Minna no Bousai (NHK: Japan Broadcasting Corporation)

    https://www.nhk.or.jp/osaka/bousai/support/08.html　(Japanese only)

  • Organizations such as the Japanese Red Cross Society accept donations.
    You can also ask the city office or the local Council of Social Welfare.

    1. City office staff will never ask for donations from individuals over the phone, or by coming to your home.
      If you get a suspicious call, hang up immediately, and refuse if they tell you they will come to your home.
      If you are suspicious of something, and if you paid money, contact the police or city office.

    2. It is common for scams asking for donations to appear after a major disaster.
      Avoid giving any money immediately when asked to donate money by someone you don't know.
      When making a donation, be sure to check out the organization's activities and how they use donations in advance.

    1. Local Disaster Volunteer Centers may accept volunteers.
      Ask your local Volunteer Center for information about Disaster Volunteer Centers.

      ■Local Volunteer Centers （Tokyo Voluntary Action Center）

      https://www.tvac.or.jp/area/(Japanese only)

    2. City offices and International Associations sometimes recruit volunteers to interpret and translate for foreign nationals who don't speak Japanese.
      Ask the local city office or International Association.

      ■International Associations in Tokyo（TIPS）

      https://tabunka.tokyo-tsunagari.or.jp/organization/tonai/ (Japanese)

      https://tabunka.tokyo-tsunagari.or.jp/english/organization/tonai/ (English)


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