Published: March 25, 2011
Operation Blessing International Delivers 4 Tons of Relief Supplies to Japan
Charity Purchases 1.5 Tons Of Rice From Local Farmer For Distribution In Hard-Hit Areas
ISHINOMAKI, JAPAN - The Virginia Beach-based Operation Blessing International (OBI) disaster relief team has delivered 4 tons of emergency supplies to shelters and the general hospital in the city of Ishinomaki today.
The shelter supplies included rice, water, bread, fruit, warm clothing, cooking stoves, candles and canned food.
There are 200 shelters in Ishinomaki alone, housing approximately 15,000 people. At one location, the Japanese military helped the OBI team, led by David Darg, to unload boxes of relief supplies from its truck.
Darg arrived in Japan roughly 72 hours after the disaster and has been leading a team of local volunteers delivering relief supplies in several hard-hit areas. In the first week of the disaster, the team managed to serve 2,500 displaced Japanese with essential food, water and fuel supplies despite limited resources, snow and difficult travel conditions.
Said Darg, "In the last week, our donors have responded in big way and now OBI is moving in with large truckloads of supplies. Today, we met with a local rice farmer and purchased 1.5 tons of rice which will be used to feed thousands of displaced Japanese in shelters every day for weeks to come."
In addition to supplying the shelters, the OBI team visited the general hospital in Ishinomaki where they unloaded food and hygiene supplies to help serve some of the 500 patients and hundreds of staff members.
Tomorrow, the team will return to the city of Shiogama to distribute supplies specifically requested by the city mayor, especially thermal underwear.
Adds Darg, "The mayor told us that people were badly in need of warm underwear since many had lost all their clothing in the disaster. We purchased hundreds of pairs of men's and women's underwear and socks. We will also deliver the first truckload of rice and 4 large truckloads of water to Shiogama, supplies that are badly needed as we heard reports of some parts of the city getting very desperate."
To follow OBI's efforts, see photos from the relief operation, or to donate, please visit either www.myowneyes.org or www.ob.org
ABOUT OPERATION BLESSING INTERNATIONAL:
Operation Blessing International (OBI) is one of the largest charities in America, providing strategic disaster relief, medical aid, hunger relief, clean water and community development in 23 countries around the world on a daily basis. OBI was awarded Charity Navigator's coveted 4 star rating for sound fiscal management for the fifth year in a row (2009), a feat that only 4% of rated charities have ever achieved. In November 2010, Forbes named OBI as the 6th most efficient charity in America. Additionally, the Chronicle of Philanthropy currently ranks OBI as the 23rd largest charity and the 6th largest international charity. Founded in 1978, Operation Blessing International has touched the lives of more than 235 million people in more than 105 countries and 50 states, providing goods and services valued at over $2.7 billion to date.
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