Reprinted from Patheos

On Friday, as I watched the news and saw the damage caused by the earthquake in Japan and tsunami that swept the Pacific, I began to reach out to Pagan charities and get as much information as possible on the best way to help the Japanese people rescue, heal and restore. I wish I could claim I was overwhelmed with responses.

Peter Dybing has been reaching out to his contacts to find the best way for folks to effectively aid in the disaster relief. He’s posted his recommendations on his blog. Here is his primary suggestion, and he’s asking folks to match his $54 contribution:

My primary suggestion for donations is ‘Doctors without Borders. This organization now has two teams on the ground in Japan setting up medical treatment centers. While this is a well-known NGO, 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. With this in mind, a Pagan Community donation Page has been set up to enable donations to this organization.

The Delaware Valley Pagan Network is also raising donations for disaster relief.

I’ll be contributing what I can and hope you will too. If you know of other ways to show support and solidarity with the Japanese people and the peoples of the Pacific Rim as they respond to this disaster please let us know in the comments.

Article by Star Foster, Pagan Portal Director

Addendum:  via The Wild Hunt

the Unitarian Universalist Association has set up a fund that sounds very promising.

“Following Friday’s devastating earthquake and resulting tsunamis, the UUA has been in contact with our religious partners in Japan to express our concern and our willingness to partner with them in recovery efforts.  Our partners, including Rissho Kosei-kai, Tsubaki Grand Shrine, the Konko Church of Izuo, the Tokyo Dojin Church, and the Japan Chapter of the International Association for Religious Freedom are all in discernment about the specific efforts they will be taking to support recovery work, and the UUA will walk with them in the directions that are ultimately chosen.  Please join with UUs throughout the United States by contributing to the UUA’s Japan Relief Fund which will support the work that our Japanese partners pursue.”

A partnership of UUA, Buddhist, Shinto, and Japanese religious freedom organizations would seem to help avoid the allegations and scandals that some international aid organizations are encountering, and work towards immediate and locally directed assistance.