Moms Talk: How is Your Community Helping Relief Efforts in Japan?

The Moms Talk weekly feature on Rye Patch provides a community of support for parents and their families in the Rye area. This week, in the wake of the natural disasters in Japan, we are providing information about local efforts in response to the tragedy and sharing ways you and your family can reach out in Rye to help our local Japanese families and those in Japan.

Efforts from the community were underway immediately, with local school Caring Committees reaching out to Japanese families in the district. For those families traveling to Japan to help loved ones, the Caring Committees will be assisting with meals, transportation and more for family members who will remain in Rye. 

The Japanese moms have identified the Japanese Society  as an excellent place to make a donation to fund relief efforts. You will soon see signs in local businesses promoting this fund by a Midland student whose family survived the tsunami in a hard-hit area.

Parent Organization leaders also gathered this week to coordinate fundraising efforts. Various student groups and clubs at each school have plans that include bake sales and an event at the high school. Lobby and traffic circle spare change collections are available at Milton School and those donations will benefit the Red Cross. Check out the upcoming school fairs at Milton and Midland Elementary schools—on March 19 and April 2, respectively—for donation opportunities. A portion of the sales of the popular Japanese sodas at Milton also will be donated.

The Osborn School community has identified the Japanese Medical Society of America as an organization that could use your donations, which will be sent immediately to hospitals in hard-hit areas. The money raised also will help to rebuild the medical system in Japan.

School newsletters will provide ongoing information about opportunities for contribution. Similar efforts are underway in nearby communities such as Scarsdale. 

All of these efforts show how quickly communities in Rye and beyond can respond to international events that have a local impact. When our neighbors, friends or family members are affected by tragedy, lending a helping hand is critical. It also serves as an example to children of how gestures—big and small—can make an impact in their own backyard and thousands of miles away.

The Patch Moms Council is curious about what local families are doing to help and if they've talked about this tragedy with their children. 

How can parents use this tragedy as an example of the importance of volunteering time and effort to help those in need? Also, have you talked to your kids about the disaster in Japan? How have you explained such as a large human tragedy to them? 

Please take a moment to share your thoughts in the comments section.