Help disabled and elderly disaster survivors

Easing the Mind and Warming the Body as Winter Approaches

AAR JAPAN has been carrying out relief efforts for the victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake since the immediate aftermath of the disaster. In addition to delivering emergency supplies to those who have limited access to aid, such as persons with disabilities, the elderly, and survivors living at home, AAR JAPAN is also repairing welfare facilities, providing vehicles, and preparing soup kitchens.

As winter has already begun to settle into the Tohoku region, urgent measures are needed in order to prepare for the severity of the coming season. AAR JAPAN is continuing its support for the Building Healthy Communities Project, offering rehabilitation services, psychological care, and community interaction and exchange events to ease the minds and warm the bodies of disaster survivors, many of whom all too easily end up spending their entire day isolated behind closed doors or stuck inside a shelter.

Seven months have passed since the earthquake, and yet some survivors still continue to live in evacuation shelters. Many have finally decided that, regardless of their present situation, they have no choice but to move on and face the
future. AAR JAPAN hopes to continue to offer the kind of support that will touch the heart of each individual survivor

Below is a report on the activities that AAR JAPAN’s supporters have enabled us to carry out in the last seven months:

AAR JAPAN’s Projects in Response to the Great East Japan Earthquake

1. Delivering Relief to Families in Temporary Housing and Leased Housing in Fukushima Prefecture (approximately 35,000 families)

2. Support for Food Service at Schools in Soma City, Fukushima Prefecture

3. Building Healthy Communities Project (Detailed report has been posted under a separate project of AAR JAPAN in GlobalGiving)

4. Delivery of Relief Supplies

5. Soup Kitchens

6. Reconstruction of Facilities for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities

7. Vehicle Provision

8. Container Housing Project

9. Hand-made Tote Bags Project

10. Psychological Care for Children in Soma City, Fukushima Prefecture

11. Charity Concerts

(*”Let’s Bring Hot Springs to the Disaster Zone!” Project and Shuttle Bus Service have been concluded and
therefore omitted from the report)

1. Delivering Relief to Families in Temporary Housing and Leased Housing in Fukushima Prefecture (approximately 35,000 families)

With a grant from Japan Platform (JPF)* and in cooperation with ADRA Japan, we have been supporting the day-to-day lives of all the families living in temporary housing and leased housing in Fukushima Prefecture. As the Japanese Red Cross has decided to distribute six-piece sets of home electrical appliances in earthquake- and tsunami-affected areas, AAR JAPAN has focused on providing items such as kitchenware, bathroom goods, vacuum cleaners, kotatsu (heated tables) and regular tables, kitchen cabinets, and so on, based on requests from municipal governments.

We are targeting 13 municipalities in the Hamadori and Nakadori regions of Fukushima:
Soma City, Minami-Soma City, Shinchi Town, Iitate Village, Tomioka Town, Kawauchi Village, Koriyama City, Sukagawa City, Kagamiishi City, Shirakawa City, Nishigo Village, Yabuki Town, and Izumisaki Village. In order to
contribute to the economic recovery of the local communities, we are collaborating with the local Commerce and Industry Associations in 10 municipalities to source as many aid goods locally as possible. As of September 30^th, we have completed the delivery of relief supplies to 14,454 households in the target area.

2. Support for Food Service at Schools in Soma City, Fukushima

AAR JAPAN provided vegetable juice and rice for 2,800 schoolchildren in Kashima, Minami-soma City. The Kashima area is just outside the restricted zone around Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant, and since the accident, many children who used to attend school closer to the plant have now been relocated here. With local produce already stretched thin, it was difficult to provide school lunch for the increased number of children. Between July 1^st and 22^nd, vegetable juice was provided to every schoolchild twice a week, and a total of 2 tons of rice was supplied for school meals. Kashima was also experiencing a shortage of vehicles for delivering food to schools, so AAR JAPAN secured rented vehicles for food delivery from August 23^rd.

4. Relief Supplies Delivered to Affected Areas from March 14^th to September 30^th

The demand for relief supplies varies according to the progress of local reconstruction efforts. AAR JAPAN aims to promptly send the supplies that are best suited to the needs of the moment, such as office equipment that will allow social welfare offices to resume operation (personal computers, printers, etc.), heaters and humidifiers for winter, bicycles for commuting to school, or healthcare products such as care beds, sputum aspirators, wheelchairs or walkers.

Relief Supplies Delivered from March 14^th to September 30^th

75,863 people in 1,106 locations

Distribution Area

Miyagi Prefecture: Sendai City, Ishinomaki City, Kesen-numa City, Natori City, Tome City, Higashi-matsushima City, Onagawa Town, Tagajo City, Iwanuma City, Minami-sanriku Town, Yamamoto Town, Shiogama City

Iwate Prefecture: Otsuchi Town, Ofunato City, Rikuzentakata City, Kamaishi City, Yamada Town

Fukushima Prefecture: Soma City, Minami-soma City

Yamagata Prefecture: Kamiyama City 

Distribution Facilities

Evacuation shelters, facilities for persons with disabilities, facilities for the elderly, social welfare councils, foster homes, shopping centers, social welfare corporations, volunteer centers, ambulatory facilities for the elderly, disaster countermeasures offices, temporary housing, evacuees’ homes, daycare centers, kindergartens, elementary schools, junior high schools, senior high schools, others.

Supplies Delivered

Diesel oil (13,600 liters), Kerosene (4,400 liters), Gasoline (2,060 liters), Water (14 tons), Rice (2.5 tons), Milk (480 packs), Sweet-bean cakes (41,000 units), Vegetables, Fruit, Eggs, Other food, Blankets, Bedclothes, Underclothes, Clothes and scarves, Towels and hand cloths, Furoshiki wrapping cloths, Face masks, Hand warmers, Sleeping bags (3,400 units), Cold medicine and othermedical supplies, Toothbrushes, Paper diapers, Adult diapers, Women’s sanitary products, Batteries, Baby products, High-pressure washers (32 units), Chainsaws (30 units), Shovels, Boots, Books and picture books, Crayons, Cell phone chargers, Computer sets (37 units), Printers (2 units), Photocopying machines (5 units), Bicycles (294 units), Sputum aspirators (2 units), Care beds (20 units), Folding beds (2 units), Futon sets (30 units), Wheelchairs (19 units), Care chairs (2 units), Walkers (35 units), Power generators (3 units), Laundry machines (24 units), Drying machines (22 units), Refrigerators (24 units), Microwave ovens (7 units), Electric fans (51 units), Vacuum cleaners (40 units), Air cleaners (11 units), Rice cookers (8 units), Futon dryers (34 units), Reflective heaters (5 units), Kerosene heaters (2 units), Automatic blood pressure meters (34 units), Television sets (22 units), Dish dryers (2 units), Electric fans, Electric heaters, Dehumidifiers, Weight scales, Clothes, irons, Ironing tables, Rotary printing machines, Pull carts, Dollies, Audio players (10 units), Portable radios, Walking sticks, Cooking knives, Cutting boards, Small shelving units, Bookshelves, Clothing cases, Disinfectant spray, Hand soap, Reading glasses, Stuffed toys, Other toys, Thermos bottles, Digital cameras, DVD players, Video cameras, Mattresses, Sheets, Cotton blankets, Pesticides, Bug repellant, Mosquito nets, Toilet paper, Laundry detergent, Kitchen detergent, Toilet soap, Laundry baskets, Hangers, Cleaning buckets, Paper dishes, Notebooks, Copy paper, Tinfoil and cling wrap, Grass-cutting scythes, Grass cutters, Cucumber seedlings, Tomato seedlings, Flower seedlings, Screen windows, Laundry poles, Summer clothes, Rubber boots, Sandals, Slippers, Ice packs, Neck coolers, Inflatable play pools, Nutritional supplements, Umbrellas, Taisho harp sets, Electric piano sets, Keyboards, Taiko drums, Tea ceremony sets, Other small musical instruments, Sewing machines, Scarves, Sweaters, Jackets and other winter clothes, Farming boots, Garden supplies, Table tennis sets, others.

5. Soup Kitchens

In coordination with Ingram Co., Ltd., which is responsible for the Peace Project, AAR JAPAN has been organizing soup kitchens in Miyagi, Iwate, and Fukushima Prefectures. The project began on March 31^st, and as of September 25^th, AAR JAPAN has held soup kitchens in the following locations:

Soup Kitchen Locations (22,051 meals served in 63 places)

Miyagi Prefecture: Watanoha, Aikawa, Kitakami, and Ayukawa areas (Oshika Peninsula) in Ishinomaki City; Wakabayashi District in Sendai City; Tagajo City; Shizugawa and Utatsu in Minami-Sanriku Town; Niitsuki, Shishiori, and Omose areas in Kesen-numa City

Iwate Prefecture: Kamaishi City, Rikuzen-takata City, Taro Town in Miyako City, Yamada Town

Fukushima Prefecture: Hara Town in Minami-Soma City

6. Institutional Reconstruction

In coordination with local construction companies, AAR JAPAN has been repairing senior care centers and facilities for persons with disabilities in 60 locations to accelerate resumption of services. From April 21^st to September 30^th, AAR JAPAN repaired the following facilities

1. Minori-kai Rubert Social Welfare Corporation (Natori City, Miyagi Prefecture)

2. Shinwa-kai Clovers Pier Wasse Social Welfare Corporation (Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture)

3. Himawari Senshin-kai Yume-no-mori Workshop Social Welfare Corporation (Kesen-numa City, Miyagi Prefecture)

4. Yamoto-aiiku-kai Gin-no-hoshi Social Welfare Corporation (Higashi-Matsushima City, Miyagi Prefecture)

5. Kurihara-shuho-kai Social Welfare Corporation (Kurihara City, Miyagi Prefecture)

6. Fureai-no-mori Social Welfare Corporation (Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture)

7. Yoko Fukushi-kai Echo Ryouiku-en Social Welfare Corporation (Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture)

8. Coconet Autism Peering Center (NPO, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture)

9. Seiwa-kai Miyama-sou Special Nursing Home (Social Welfare Corporation, Yamamoto Town, Watari County, Miyagi Prefecture)

10. Aisen-kai Kamuri Gakuen Social Welfare Corporation (Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture)

11. Hoshin-kai Omatsu Gakuen Social Welfare Corporation (Kamaishi City, Iwate Prefecture)

12. Kamikuri-sou Kamaishi Kyosei-kai Group Home (NPO, Kamaishi City, Iwate Prefecture)

13. Yoshihama-sou Aisei-kai Facility for Persons with Disabilities (Social Welfare Corporation, Ofunato City, Iwate Prefecture)

14. Kojuen Special Nursing Home for the Elderly (Rikuzen-takata City, Iwate Prefecture)

15. Korin-kai Lumbini-en Social Welfare Corporation (Hanamaki City, Iwate Prefecture)

16. Sansan-kai Asunaro Home Social Welfare Corporation (Rikuzen-takata City, Iwate Prefecture)

17. Yamada Kyosei-kai Yamada Kyosei Workshop Social Welfare Corporation (Yamada Town, Shimohei County, Iwate Prefecture)

18. Taiyou-kai Jiai Fukushi Gakuen Social Welfare Corporation (Ofunato City, Iwate Prefecture)

19. Aiiku-kai Social Welfare Corporation, Machikado Counseling Link Matsubara Home (Rikuzen-takata City, Iwate Prefecture)

20. Megumi Care Home (Kesen-numa City, Miyagi Prefecture)

21. Harakara Social Welfare Corporation (Shibata Town, Shibata County, Miyagi Prefecture)

22. Shiraishi Yoko Gakuen Cosmos House Social Welfare Corporation (Shiraishi City, Miyagi Prefecture)

23. Sakurambo Club (NPO, Tome City, Miyagi Prefecture)

24. Shiraishi Yoko Gakuen Shiraishi Kojuen Social Welfare Corporation (Shiraishi City, Miyagi Prefecture)

25. Harakara Fukushi-kai Zao Suzushiro Social Welfare Corporation (Zao Town, Katta County, Miyagi Prefecture)

26. Harakara Fukushi-kai Hatamaki Kyodo Seisakujo Social Welfare Corporation (Igu County, Miyagi Prefecture)

27. “Dreamers’ Home, Riverside Song, Song of the Surf, Seaside Song” Social Welfare Corporation (Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture)

28. Aiko Fukushi Kyokai Izumi Facility for Persons with Disabilities (Social Welfare Corporation, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture)

29. Net ABC (NPO, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture)

30. Taiyo-kai Hoyu-kan Social Welfare Corporation (Ofunato City, Iwate Prefecture)

Reconstruction Sites

Miyagi Prefecture:

37 locations (14 in Sendai City, 2 in Shiraishi City, 4 in Kesen-numa City, 1 in Tome City, 1 in Higashi-Matsushima City, 4 in Natori City, 1 in Kurihara City, 2 in Ishinomaki City, 1 in Shiogama City, 2 in Yamamoto Town, 2 in Minami-sanriku Town, 1 in Zao Town, 1 in Marumori Town, 1 in Shibata Town)

Iwate Prefecture:

23 locations (4 in Ofunato City, 5 in Rikuzen-takata City, 6 in Kamaishi City, 1 in Hanamaki City, 2 in Otsuchi Town, 2 in Yamada Town, 1 in Miyako City, 2 in Tanohata Village)

AAR JAPAN will continue the reconstruction of facilities for persons with disabilities and senior care facilities in the disaster-affected areas of Miyagi and Iwate Prefectures in coordination with each prefecture’s welfare division, social welfare council, and other related organizations.

This project has been funded by Japan Platform (JPF), Accenture Plc, Mitsubishi Corp., Felissimo Corp., the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of New York, Inc. (JCCI), and through the generous donations of our individual supporters.

7. Vehicle Provision

AAR JAPAN has been providing vehicles as vital means of transportation for people who make use of welfare facilities. AAR JAPAN has provided vehicles for the following 10 welfare facilities:

1. One (1) van – Senshin-kai Nozomi Fukushi Sagyojo Social Welfare Cooperation (Minami-sanriku Town, Miyagi Prefecture)

2. One (1) mini-vehicle – Huck’s House (NPO, Tanohata Village, Shimohei County, Iwate Prefecture)

3. One (1) van for Ishinomaki Shoshin-kai Kujira-no-shippo Service Facility for Persons with Disabilities (Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture)

4. One (1) mini-vehicle – Kick-off Career and Life Support Center for Persons with Disabilities (Kamaishi City, Iwate Prefecture)

5. One (1) van – Work House Atelier Sun (Miyako City, Iwate Prefecture)

6. One (1) elderly-care taxi – Yamazaki Taxi (Yamada Town, Shimohei County, Iwate Prefecture)

7. One (1) compact car – Hikami-no-sono (Rikuzen-takata City, Iwate Prefecture)

8. One (1) mini-van for pickup – Harmony Utatsu Kibogaoka Group Home (NPO, Minami-sanriku City, Motoyoshi County, Miyagi Prefecture)

9. Three (3) vehicles for pickup – Sasae-ai Yamamoto (NPO, Yamamoto Town, Watari County, Mi