Several well known Pagans have joined with Peter Dybing in his effort to raise $30,000 to assist victims of the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan.  Selena Fox, Starhawk, Patrick McCullum, T. Thorn Coyle, Anna Rowe, M Macha Nightmare, Star Foster, Jason Pitzl-Waters, Morgana, Ivo Dominguez Jr, Holli S Emore, and Katrina Messenger have all made statements in support of this charity initiative.

Dybing has set up a fundraising page to gather donations from Pagans to send to Doctors Without Borders. This organization has teams on the ground in Japan and is setting up medical treatment centers.  Dybing chose Doctors Without Borders after seeing the great work they did in Haiti to assist earthquake survivors there.  ” I am recommending them due to their level of accomplishment in Haiti saving lives. Additionally, when this organization raised enough funds for its Haiti response it stopped accepting donations. It is important to recognize that organizations have a logistical limit as to how much they can accomplish. By suspending fundraising this organization demonstrated a commitment to spend funds wisely and not just take the opportunity to raise unlimited cash as other large NGO’s did.”

Not only is giving to a charity such as Doctors Without Borders in line with Pagan ethics, it’s a way for Pagans to donate as Pagans and be recognized as such.  If you would like to make a donation, please click this link.

As of press time, just over $14,000 has been raised in the 72 hours since the effort started.  There have been 212 donations with an average donation of just over $55.00. Donations have come primarily from individuals with about 5% coming from organizations.  Peter Dybing says he would like to “encourage people who may not have a lot of money to participate by giving smaller donations of $1.00 – $10.00” (Disclosure:  I have donated to the Japan Relief Effort and as Chair of International Pagan Coming Out Day I have publicized the effort on our facebook feed)

Below is a Press Release by Peter Dybing along with statements of support from Starhawk, Patrick McCullum, T. Thorn Coyle, Anna Rowe, M Macha Nightmare, Star Foster, Jason Pitzl-Waters, Morgana, Ivo Dominguez Jr, Holli S Emore, and Katrina Messenger

Press Release 3/16/2011

It is with profound gratitude that we are able to report that the Pagan Japan Relief project has raised nearly $11,700.00 in its first seventy-two hours of operation. The ability of the community to come together and support a unified effort to provide relief to disaster victims is humbling to all those involved.

It is important to note that it is in the first days after a disaster that organizations are most effective in fundraising efforts. With a goal of $30,000.00 it will be important for those involved to remain motivated in this effort and not let this become yesterdays news in the community. With this in mind, here are some suggestions for maintaining the momentum.

Facebook users can assist by re posting the donation link whenever they have not seen it come across their news feed in 24 hours. Remember we have thousands of community members who rarely check their e-mail much less social networking sites.

We can also roll this effort out to the broader community by bringing the cause to the attention of other Pagans at meet ups, coven gatherings, groves, and guilds. Consider being the conduit for those who are willing to donate a few dollars and collect these funds for donation. Note that in charity giving credibility is important and those donating should be informed when their donation is posted.

Consider hitting the Facebook share button on the First Giving site after you have donated.

Consider holding a small fundraiser for the effort. In fundraisers, small tends to be better and does not overwhelm the community with logistical responsibilities.

Each of us has a right to take pride in this cooperative effort.  In the last few days we have proved that the Pagan community can come together, that the threads that bind us are stronger than the forces that would separate us.  Pagan and Proud is certainly a sentiment that all those involved have a right to embrace as a result of this community’s accomplishment over the last few days.

Should there be any doubt about our intent to provide assistance to the victims of this disaster or the desire to come together as a community, please take the time to read the statements of a wide range of notable Pagans who have offered support for this project listed below.

In Service to our community,

Peter Dybing

Facilitator

Selena Fox, Circle Sanctuary
“Healing to Japan, to those there, and to those connected there!  We can help with healing in several ways: through rituals, prayers, & meditations, by staying informed & networking with others, and by contributing to relief efforts.  Doctors without Borders has already begun doing international medical relief work in Japan.  Join with me and others in supporting their work through this Pagan Community First Giving endeavor.”

Starhawk
— HI friends, if some of you are wondering how to help the folks in Japan who have lost so much in this ongoing tragedy, here’s an effort set up by the Pagan community to raise funds for Doctors Without Borders.  I strongly support this effort:  Doctors Without Borders does great work worldwide, and I think it’s a positive and important step for us as a community to coordinate our efforts to help.  Thanks!  Starhawk

Patrick McCollum, Patrick McCollum Foundation
“Let’s pull together as a community. Peter Dybing has experience and has researched to make sure your money will be used to help the people.

I fully support this project and hope many of you will join me as well.”

T. Thorn Coyle: Know Thyself
Because we value diversity, Pagans tend to scatter into our separate groups and our variant forms of religious expression. And yet, for many of us, there is a common sense of what joins us: we value the sacred in the everyday. We value the sacred in ourselves, in the land, the sea, the sun, the sky.

Magick is manifestation. Because we value diversity, let us help our varied biosphere and acknowledge the ways in which we are the same: let us come together to help Japan. Solar Cross Temple has contributed to the Pagan Giving Fund. Will you?

Anna Rowe, President WitchSchool International
The members of Witchschool, staff, students and I wish to express our sympathies to all the peoples of Japan and affected areas that have lost their homes their property and their lives in the recent earthquakes, tsunamis and the now dangerous problems with the nuclear reactors.

We are also aware of the 118 students of Witchschool Japan and their families and wish to express our concerns and to send prayers for their safety and welfare. We are passing on your fundraising effort to all our students and members

M Macha Nightmare
In the wake of the devastation that Japan has suffered and continues to suffer, my friend Peter Dybing, who as a first responder himself knows a thing or ten about disaster relief, has initiated Pagan Japan Relief project to raise funds for Doctors Without Borders. We Pagans — you and me and our friends and colleagues — can make a statement while making a difference. Please contribute what you can at Pagan Community FirstGiving.

Star Foster Patheos.com
I think the fundraising effort to support Doctors Without Borders response to the disaster in Japan is not only a great way to help our fellow human beings, but also a shining example of what we can accomplish together. Being able to point to this as something Pagans can accomplish together will serve as a point of pride and inspiration for a long time.

Jason Pitzl-Waters at The Wildhunt
“This is a hugely positive cooperative effort,
one that we can all take pride in.

So continue to spread the word”

Morgana ,Coordinator for Pagan Federation International
“Shocked and amazed at the force and suddenness of the tsunami raging over North-East Japan – Pagans round the world are rallying to support “Doctors without Borders” in their efforts to help the injured and bereaved in the disaster-stricken areas.” (Regular donor to “Artsen Zonder Grenzen” in the Netherlands)

Ivo Dominguez Jr
“One belief that many Pagans hold in common is that we are all connected by the web of life. Please support the caregivers that are helping to mend the rip in the web in Japan. Their healing is our healing.”

Blessings, Ivo

Holli S. Emore, Cherry Hill Seminary
For many years I have worked with all sorts of clients to help them raise the funds needed to carry out their good work.  If anything can mitigate the sorrow I feel over the tragedy in Japan, it is the joy of seeing our Pagan community step up to the challenge of giving at such a critical time.  The truth is that charitable giving is a transformative act, a very concrete way of moving energy.  I applaud Peter for using his position as CoG First Officer to rally us to this common cause.  My husband and I have both given to Doctors Without Borders through the Pagan giving link, and we have also contributed to the American Red Cross where my husband is a national reservist.  Most of us cannot go to Japan to help search, rescue, or rebuild.  But through our financial gifts – of any and every size – we can be part of the work.  I say to all of us – be transformed by your giving and give tranformatively.

Katrina Messenger Reflections Mystery School
This is an incredible response to such devastation and loss.  Pagans have always donated to relief efforts, volunteered to assist victims of disaster and help create policies that save lives and protect the environment.  This campaign however allows us to pool our efforts and express our support to the people of Japan as a community.

So lets spread the word, engage the community and achieve this goal together. No donation is two small will be our mantra!

Peter Dybing