Fundraising at Mira Costa College
We visited a local community college today to raise Japan earthquake and tsunami relief fund today! It was very successful! Many thanks to Kazu, Japan Club, volunteer students and Mira Costa students for your support!
(text by Kazu and photo by Noah and Shin)
Today, we got very very nice successful of “Tomoe Project in MiraCosta”!!
Our friends and MiraCosta students bought a lot of products today!
Actually, we sold for more than $2000 and around $1000 for students who are going to MiraCosta and got damage by cragy earthquake.
Everybody said “Wow! These products are so cool” They were glad to get our products.
So, we have another donation in San Elijo Campus on this coming Friday!
Hang Together at Surfindian
Hi Tomoe Project friends!!! We hope you all had a wonderful weekend!
We participated in the fundraising event (which benefits the affected people in Japan) at Surfindian last night. We had so much donations from San Diego surf community; surfboards, art works, photos, skateboards, and many more! Look this picture, these are all donations from local shapers, artists, photographers, etc. Thank you very much for your support!
We sold T-shirts, hats and eco-bags in the event. This is a Tomoe Project donation t-shirt! Looks cool?
Many thanks to Surfindian, we had a table, selling our t-shirts and bags along with Hang Together t-shirts and Kookbox t-shirts. All proceeds from these items will be donated to U.S.-Japan Council and Japan Red Cross!
Our designer, Tak, was stoked (maybe too much, haha!)
It was very successful!! So many people came over for this fun fund raising event. Good food, good live music, good stuff for the auction and raffle, good vibe, and good people. Thank you all for coming to the event and sharing this special moment! We were very happy to see you all there!
We will be out to sell our donation items at local colleges! We are going to visit Mira Costa College on 4/6! See you there?
Our partners
Here are our partners (not sponsors!)
and, of course, many of our friends!
Without your support, we would not have been able to even start this project!
Thank you all very much for your help! ありがとう！
Donation t-shirts, hats and bags available!
Very exciting! Our donation items are available on www.noahkaoi.com (backorder). Please click the image below to enter. These items will also be available at our partner stores (further information about our partner dealers will be provided shortly). Please take advantage of this opportunity.
Thank you very much for your support!
Why not Red Cross?
Mis queridos,
A lot of people have asked us why we are not donating our relief fund to Red Cross or other well-known big organizations… well, here is the reason why.
Of course, big non-profit organizations such as Red Cross do wonderful job, and, after the earthquake and tsunami, I soon donated $$$ to Red Cross Japan. I am not necessarily criticizing what Red Cross does. Please remember that Red Cross is just an example, and this is a personal opinion.
Though… these organizations usually use 30% of your monetary contribution to cover their administrative/operational cost and does not send $$$ to the victims and/or volunteers… Furthermore, they buy goods from corporations and send the goods to victims… Right now, what people in Japan may need more is fuel to transport necessary goods and food from other parts of the country to the affected area and fuel for heating equipments (it is freezing cold…) (Fortunately or unfortunately), Japan is a materially affluent country. Result? For example, after the great Hanshi-Awaji earthquake in 1995, there was a tremendous amount of unused goods piled up to be gotten rid of at evacuation sites and temporary homes in Kobe/Osaka… Recovery process takes long time and costs $$$, so we would like to use your monetary contribution to raise not only “relief” but also “recovery” fund!
I believe that these organizations’ employees/volunteers should be compensated as much as possible too for their hard work… but if you mean to donate to the affected people and volunteers in Japan as much as possible, it is a good idea to send your monetary donations to an organizations which promises you, donors, to send and use 100% of your contributions to the affected people and volunteers in Japan (or non-profit organizations in Japan who go out to the affected area to support the affected). These organizations, who try not to use your donations to cover their administrative costs, are receiving $$$ from big business corporations and other organizations, so our individual-level donations should be used more to support the affected in Japan! Does this make sense?
Of course, you may find what we say here not true. But this is a good time to think critically. Please do some your own research to find which organization will be the most effective to send your monetary donations to!
So far, I found the US-Japan Council is the most effective… check it out US-Japan Council a 501(c)(3) charitable organization who promises donors to send and use 100% of our monetary donation to the affected people and volunteers in the Tohoku area in Japan (or non-profit organizations in Japan who actually go out to the affected area and do volunteer activities). After researching this issue, we are confident that the US-Japan Council has the contacts and initiative to make a direct and lasting difference in the Japan relief effort.
Based on our knowledge, Save The Children and Doctors Without Border are also good organizations to donate to. You can also donate directly to Red Cross Japan (this is more effective than donating to American Red Cross, which will anyway send your partial monetary donations to Red Cross Japan). If you believe there is a drinking-water shortage in the affected area, you can also participate in Waves for Water project.
Any questions? Let us know!
Another great donation T-shirt
Please get involved! There have been so many ways to contribute! Buying our donation products is not the only way; there are numbers of dedicated individuals and groups who have been volunteering to raise earthquake and tsumani relief fund! No product placement, no competition here… you can choose any ways you can contribute! Here is another option.
Kookbox for Japan T-shirt (please click the image for more information)
On Saturday evening, April 2, from 6-10 pm, Surfindian will host a benefit event and auction to raise funds to help Japan. The event will be held at our surf store and gallery in Pacific Beach, and will feature live and silent auctions, live and dj music, food, drink and lots of other surprises. All money raised from the auction, or otherwise donated at the benefit, will be given to the U.S.-Japan Council, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. After researching this issue, we are confident that the U.S.-Japan Council has the contacts and initiative to make a direct and lasting difference in the Japan relief effort. You can find out more about the U.S.-Japan Council at http://www.usjapancouncil.org/.
Surfindian
4652 Mission Blvd
Pacific Beach, CA
Just launched!
Finally we have launched our website and Facebook account! Please tell your friends about us!
Our donation T-shirts, hats and eco bags will be available after 4/2. Products have been printed at local printing companies who are also contributing to our project. Special thanks to Impact Design and Forward Screen Printing. We would also thank Studio Aiuto for their hard work to design these products. Please check these products on this site.
Please let us know if you have any questions or suggestions. If you live in San Diego area and are interested in helping us, let us know!
Thank you very much!
Dear Friends
Tomoe Project
友へ(Tomo e) ＝巴(Tomoe): ”TOMOE” has a double meaning.
This pronunciation has two meanings, “To/For friends” and a traditional Japanese symbol which means “New things mixed together with existing things to make another form.”
We are from the Tomoe Project, a part of the Noah Ka Oi Surf, which intends to establish into a non-profit organization, dedicated to worldwide relief aid. Noah Ka Oi Surf is a for-profit organization, established by an enthusiastic professional surfer Noah Shimabukuro, who is supporting us in the operation of this charitable project as his commitment to social responsibility. As you might know, people have lost their home and families, and they are still suffering from food deprivation and freezing temperatures. People need support now, but as the recovering process will take very long, they need long-term continuing support. A group of Japanese surfers, residing in San Diego felt powerless and useless, yet we have decided to coalesce and organize donations to support the affected people and volunteers in Japan on a long-term basis.
We are currently selling donation goods in which 100% of the proceeds will go to help victims of the most recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan. All money raised from this project will be given to the U.S.-Japan Council, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization who promises donors to send and use 100% of our monetary donation to the affected people and volunteers in the Tohoku area in Japan (or non-profit organizations in Japan who actually go out to the affected area and do volunteer activities). After researching this issue, we are confident that the U.S.-Japan Council has the contacts and initiative to make a direct and lasting difference in the Japan relief effort. You can find out more about the U.S.-Japan Council at http://www.usjapancouncil.orgWhen needed, we can provide a donation receipt from them.
Thank you very much for your support!
Cordially,
Tomoe Project
Tomoe Project 
