We Received a Shipment of Food!

Hello. Yuji Shibata here.

Last week, RaboBank sent us cup ramen, various read-made food products and miso. They also donated a high pressure washer and a scale to help our operations.

The above picture is of the food products which arrived last Saturday. We will use these food products to help support victims of the Tsunami.

Thank you very much!

 

(Translation by 2HJ staff Sera Palmer)

Spring Snow in Ishinomaki

Hello. Yuji Shibata here.

It has been snowing since morning here in Ishinomaki!

I never got around to watching the weather report this morning, so I was a little surprised to be greeted by such weather.

However, regardless of the difficult weather, 2HJ Ishinomaki Project is continuing our activities right on schedule. Today we will be distributing food support packages to those in need.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Kyukitakami River and Mt. Hiyori
　　　　　

Handing out supplies

Food Packages

Hello. Yuji Shibata here.

Today I am going to introduce one of the activities carried out by 2HJ's Ishinomaki Project. 

Second Harvest Japan has been providing continuous support to those affected by the 3.11 disasters from the day that the Great East Japan Earthquake occurred until the present.

I visit the office of Food Bank Tohoku Again in Sendai every Friday to make food packages. The food packages made at Food Bank Tohoku Again are transported from Sendai to Ishinomaki by truck.
Approximately 12 to 14 different types of food items are included in the package, including items such as ready-made curry, spaghetti, emergency food supplies, beverages, seasonings and rice are packed together and given to those in need.

This time myself and two others worked together to make 96 packages for survivors and others in need.

Already more than 2 years have passed since the Great East Japan Earthquake, but more than 300,000 people across Japan are still living as evacuees.

We continue our efforts in hopes that such individuals will be able to acquire a sense of security and peace of mind, and return to their former lives even one day sooner.

Meeting about Tohoku Recovery and Rebuilding in Miyagi

Hello.

This is Yuji Shibata, the coordinator of 2HJ's Ishinomaki Project.

I thought spring had finally come, and was pondering about how quickly time flies, when it snowed again here in Ishinomaki.

Last month (March 21st) I attended a meeting hosted by the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Support Network.

The theme this time was "support for the third year since the disaster."

To read more about the meeting, see the link below. (Japanese only)↓
http://www.jpn-civil.net/activity/hisaichi/genchi_kaigi/130321_miyagi.html

We broke up into groups and had a discussion.


The key to the third year of support is communicating with the survivors of the disaster and cooperating with each other.

The president of the Temporary Housing Unit Union was present at the meeting to provide information from the survivor perspective, but from here on out I hope to see more survivors come out to share their needs and give feedback.

Yuji Shibata, 2HJ Ishinomaki Project Coordinator

(Translation by 2HJ staff Sera Palmer)

A New Office for 2HJ's Ishinomaki Operations

Hello.

The long winter has almost ended, and it is getting warmer even here in Ishinomaki.

Second Harvest Japan Ishinomaki Project has moved to a new location.
Recently we transported desks, chairs and other office supplies up from Tokyo, and are now settling in.

2HJ started using the first floor of this building as the base of our operations on April 1st. Our landlord lives upstairs.

This is what it looks like inside.

We aren't only carrying office supplies into our new office, we are also distributing food support packages to those who have applied to our food support program.

We are going to continue getting settled in here, all the while supporting those in need of food.

This blog will now be used to report on 2HJ's Ishinomaki Project.
We look forward to your continuing support.

~Ishinomaki Progject Coordinator Yuji Shibata

(translation by 2HJ staff Sera Palmer)