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eQuilter *1000 QUILTS for JAPAN*
Update from Tokyo Quilt Festival, Jan 2012 -
My friend Akemi gave me a flash drive full of photos and videos from
Kesennuma (the coastal town where our 2155 donated quilts were distributed),
which she took July 15 which is 2 days after our quilts were given out
there! Here is another video of Kesennuma:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CXLUMWJN78
Through designer Keiko Goke, I met a woman who had lost her home and
all her possessions, who used to live on the coast in Sendai, and now lives
in "temporary housing". I will post photos of the temporary housing, the
coastal damage and debris, etc.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/luanarubin/sets/72157626229730603/
I also met a woman who is on the city council in Kessenuma. I spoke
with so many people about the tsunami, and heard so many stories. Everywhere
you go there are tsunami fundraising projects, pleas for donations, and
evidence the toll this has taken on the national spirit.
http://www.coolestone.com/media/3136/Japan-Earthquake-Victims-Say-Thank-You/
We also spoke to an expat there, married to a local Japanese, who
knows of several professionals (professors, journalists, local politicians)
who have been silenced (lost their jobs) after speaking up about the truth
of what is happening with the ongoing radiation disaster and health issues
near Fukushima. They may try to cover it up, but the truth about the lives
being destroyed by this cover-up, will linger and slowly be exposed for
decades. We can only hope the international community gets involved to
expose the truth.
Aug 12 2011 -
letter from our contact in Japan:
The quilts (which were received in excellent shape and of outstanding
quality) were taken to a town called Kesennuma, which is in Miyagi
Prefecture about 200 miles or so north of Tokyo. The earthquake there
did
very little damage, compared to the resulting Tsunami which literally
wiped
out miles and miles of coastline. Kesennuma was in this zone and
structures
as far as 5 kilometers inland from the ocean were completely
destroyed.
We initially went up there over a month after the tsunami and it was
still
in such a state as to be almost unbelievable. People were, and still
are,
living in shelters like school gymnasiums with a small space for each
of
about 6x9 feet, into which all of their personal belongings were
stored.
Towards the end of May we went there again and provided a Bar-B-Que
for
about 4000 people, some of whom said that the hamburgers and hot dogs
we
cooked were the first taste of meat of any kind they had since the
tsunami
over 2 months ago. We have also distributed a little over 120,000
bottles
of water since the majority of the wells in the area were contaminated
with
sea water.
On July 13th, we attended the dedication ceremony of the rebuilt
temple
which we provided. There were previously 8 Buddhist temples in the
area and
only one survived. We decided, after consultation with local
personnel, to
build a replacement temple for them in order that they might proceed
with
the over 15000 funeral services which were being conducted inside a
tent.
This was a very emotional time for most of the people attending the
dedication and I was extremely happy that I was able to make this
happen.
It appeared that the Government agencies had forgotten about them and
we
were the first of any group to make any attempt at rebuilding in the
entire
area. At this ceremony, we distributed your quilts to the local
people.
They were, to a person, amazed that the people of your organization in
the
United States, would make such a donation. It was a little hot by that
time
for the quilts to be put into immediate use, but I am sure they will
be put
to good use when the temperatures start to slide next month.
I don't have, at this moment, any pictures, but am told that I will
receive
some very soon. When I finally get them, I'll be certain to forward
them to
you. I'm in the process of creating a DVD with video, pictures and
text of
our efforts in this area and will, naturally, provide a copy to you.
(We'd also like to give a very special THANK YOU to UPS who provided
the free shipping to Japan.)
*****************************************************
As an extension of the eQuilter Charity Program,
http://www.equilter.com/cgi-bin/webc.cgi/Charity.html
we are responding to the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan,
and to our customers' and friends' requests to help those who have lost
everything.
eQuilter is partnering with Mission of Love to deliver one or more
shipments of disaster relief supplies (medical, educational, and basic
needs) and donated comfort quilts, to the people of Japan.
Through MOL's participation in the Denton Program, we have a
commitment from the commander of an Air Force base in California, to ship
the supplies and quilts from the US to Japan.
***********
June 6, 2011
The latest update on our Quilts for Japan project:
The 2155 quilts and disaster relief supplies are now in Japan! The
paperwork is being worked on right now and the shipment will be released for
delivery shortly. It is being sent to a devastated area that has not
received hardly any aid so far, so I am very excited about this development.
We have requested photos from the distribution, so you can be sure we will
share those photos as soon as they come back to us. So many thanks to Kathy
at Mission of Love, and the military base commander who agreed to take on
our project and help us with the shipping and distribution.
In the meantime Mission of Love is taking donations of quilts, and
funds for relief supplies, to help the victims of recent flooding and
tornadoes in the US. You can ship quilts directly to Mission of Love in
Ohio, or drop off *IN PERSON* at the eQuilter warehouse.
*********************
QUILT SIZE:
I'd like to suggest that you make small personal-sized quilts for a
child or small adult. That could be from 46" x 60" for a child's cot quilt,
to 60" x 68" for a lap quilt, or 65" x 85" for a small twin size. We'd like
to request full/double size quilt as the maximum size. See our project page
later this week for more ideas.
DEADLINES:
You can drop off the quilts IN PERSON during business hours Monday
through Friday at eQuilter in Boulder Colorado by Friday April 23,
OR
you can ship the quilts DIRECTLY to Mission of Love to arrive by
Friday May 7th. (Do NOT ship to eQuilter, as this will delay the process.)
SHIP QUILTS TO:
Mission of Love Foundation
2054 Hemlock Court
Youngstown, Ohio 44515 U.S.A
IMPORTANT: If you wish a confirmation of delivery, then you will need
to ship with a tracking number.
PLEASE NOTE:
Mission of Love does NOT have an office staff to handle delivery
confirmations, email or telephone queries. This is how they keep their
administration costs close to zero. Please contact eQuilter, NOT Mission of
Love, with any project queries.
They are a grassroots volunteer organization and their resources will
be focused on receiving, unpacking, and then repacking and shipping the
quilts to California along with the disaster relief supplies.
SUPPORT:
If you wish to support this project but cannot donate a quilt, please
consider donating money to Mission of Love to help with their costs, and
also to increase the amount of medical supplies we can include with this
shipment. You can donate with Paypal or a credit card on their site.
http://www.missionoflove.org/donate/donate.htm
This will add to the money that eQuilter will give for additional
supplies, and shipping from Ohio to California.
Also, when you make a purchase at eQuilter, you can indicate that your
2% for charity will go to Mission of Love.
http://www.equilter.com/cgi-bin/webc.cgi/Charity.html
IMPORTANT: Please read all of this information carefully and if your
question is not answered, you can contact eQuilter Customer Service at
service@equilter.com
FAQs:
How can I stay up to date on this project?
To receive the latest *Quilts for Japan* updates in your Inbox, you
can subscribe to our eQuilter newsletter at:
https://www.equilter.com/cgi-bin/webc.cgi/ur_registerform.html
If you missed the newsletters, you can still read them online.
Weekend newsletters are posted at:
http://www.equilter.com/cgi-bin/webc.cgi/secure.html
and midweek Creative Nudge is posted on my blog:
http://www.luanarubin.typepad.com/
What kind of fabrics should I use?
Asian fabrics are nice, but young adults and children in Japan love
Western
fabrics. "Shabby chic" florals and "cute" prints are very popular for
adults, bright happy prints are great for the kids, and traditional
Asian
prints might be most appreciated by the older generation.
Consider backing it with flannel if you have it on hand, for warmth.
Don't be afraid to piece together the batting from your batting scraps (butt
the ends together and join with a zigzag stitch) or even piece together the
backing.
Should I label my quilt? How will they know who made it?
Be sure to put your name, address, and a message of Hope on a label,
on the
backside of the quilt. Even if you don't hear back from the recipient,
they
will surely read your message of caring. Use a permanent waterproof
pen like
a Pigma or Sharpie, write on a light colored fabric, use a
double-sided
fusible and hand-tack for security.
Can I send other items like baby clothes or diapers? What about Fleece
blankets? Crocheted blankets? Pillowcases? Stuffed Animals?
At this time we'd like to focus on the most urgently needed supplies.
Please
send either quilts or donate money to Mission of Love to help pay for
medical
supplies or other basic needs. If you wish to donate a pillowcase,
that can be the cover for the quilt.
How do I know my quilt will be delivered to a needy person in Japan?
eQuilter and Mission of love have partnered to deliver quilts and
disaster
relief over the years, to 9/11 survivors, Haiti earthquake victims,
Katrina
survivors, and Pine Ridge SD. Through MOL's participation in the
Denton
Program, and eQuilter's connection to other NGO and charity programs,
we
intend to deliver these goods to those in need, as we have in the
past. 3000
quilts were collected and distributed to 9/11 survivors and families
who
lost someone to the World Trade Center event.
I have been hearing reports that relief supplies are sitting in
warehouses. Will the quilts and supplies get to the relief centers or will
they be stuck in storage?
If you keep up with the news of NGO's working in disaster-ravaged
countries, you know that even Doctors Without Borders or UN relief
organizations on occasion will have trouble delivering supplies to those in
need. Having said that, yes there is always a chance that could happen, but
we wouldn't invest the time and money into this project if we thought that
would happen. Between eQuilter's charity program, and Mission of Love's
involvement with the Denton Program, we will get the relief supplies and
quilts inspected and then shipped from Ohio, to the Air Force base in
California, then sent in a military cargo plane to Japan. We are now working
on the last leg of the project, which is to get them delivered to those in
need. Visit Mission of Love's website to see the countless relief shipments
that have gone all over the world, and you'll see we've partnered with an
organization that knows how to get the job done.
How many quilts will be sent to Japan?
That is hard to say now, but we have a goal of shipping 1000 quilts to
Japan. If we receive more than 1000, we will make sure they are
included in
the shipment. It is possible that we will do a 2nd shipment if we have
the
means to distribute them through a trusted party in Japan.
I am in California. Can I just ship or deliver my quilt(s) to the Air
Force Base in California?
Unfortunately that will not work. Due to the regulations of the Denton
Program, when we are ready to ship it has to be inspected and then packed
together for authorized shipment. We are not sure if it will be shipping
from California or Ohio, so to participate in this project, the quilts all
have to be collected, inspected and manifested at this central location.
Will eQuilter donate fabric to a guild or group making quilts for
Japan?
If you are a local, *established* guild and have a project to make and
donate quilts to this effort, contact us about picking up a box of
scrap
fabrics. Please do not request us to ship scraps, or give to informal
quilt
groups. We may also have batting and backing end pieces that can be
joined
together.
Will eQuilter help to promote other Japan quilt projects?
Honestly, our plate is totally full promoting and organizing our
project. We
encourage you to get involved in other projects with local *trusted*
entities, but because there are so many other groups doing similar
projects,
we will stick to promoting this project. We don't want to confuse
anyone!
Can you post my pattern design for others making quilts?
We appreciate your generosity, but we need to stay focused on the
project
details on these pages. Our quilter friends don't seem to have any
lack of
ideas for comfort quilts!
Is it OK to use your logo or image "Quilts for Japan" with the link
applied
to it on blogs and websites?
Yes it is ok to post the project logo and LINK on blogs and websites.
We encourage you to pass the word to others, but make sure they go to this
information page so they can follow our guidelines and help this huge
project to be efficient and successful!
I live outside the US. Can I still participate?
For those of you living outside the US, check with your local guild
for a local project. If nothing is available, then you can certainly send to
Mission of Love at that same address.
The other option if you are outside the US is to Mail Directly to
Japan. However Naomi has requested that you not send the quilts to her until
May because of the difficult situation there.
Naomi Ichikawa, Editor
Patchwork Tsushin Co., Ltd.,
2-21-2, Yushima, Bunkyo-ku
Tokyo, JAPAN 113-0034
Patchwork Tsushin Co. Ltd
Tohoku Kanto Earthquake Comfort Quilts
?113-0033 Tokyo, Bunkyoku, Hongo 5-28-3
Telephone 03-3816-5538
Naomi Ichikawa asks that people wait until June to send quilts.
If sending directly to Japan, please do not state a declared value of
more than $100. or a customs tax will have to be paid by the recipient.
IMPORTANT: Please read all of this information carefully and if your
question is not answered, you can contact eQuilter Customer Service at
service@equilter.com
June 6, 2011
The latest news on our Quilts for Japan project:
The 2155 quilts and disaster relief supplies are now in Japan! The
paperwork is being worked on right now and the shipment will be released for
delivery shortly. It is being sent to a devastated area that has not
received hardly any aid so far, so I am very excited about this development.
We have requested photos from the distribution, so you can be sure we will
share those photos as soon as they come back to us. So many thanks to Kathy
at Mission of Love, and the military base commander who agreed to take on
our project and help us with the shipping and distribution.
In the meantime Mission of Love is taking donations of quilts, and
funds for relief supplies, to help the victims of recent flooding and
tornadoes in the US. You can ship quilts directly to Mission of Love in
Ohio, or drop off *IN PERSON* at the eQuilter warehouse.
May 28, 2011
If you wish to send quilts for future shipments to Japan, go ahead and
ship them to Mission of Love, although we cannot make a commitment to a
certain date for the next shipment yet. If you are anxious to donate a quilt
that will go to a person in need sooner, you can also send quilts to Mission
of Love and indicate if you want it to go to a tornado or flood victim.
If you are in the Boulder Colorado area, you can drop off comfort
quilts *IN PERSON* to our eQuilter office. Please do NOT ship to eQuilter as
this will delay delivery to those in need. Ship directly to Mission of Love.
I am very excited to share with you that 2155 quilts will be delivered
to Cleveland Airport on Tues May 31, for space available shipping to Narita
Japan on JAL, courtesy of UPS. Kathy Price at Mission of Love, and her
contact the commander of a base in California, have arranged for the
shipping to Japan.
They are communicating with army chaplains in Japan who are contacting
local organizations who will personally distribute the quilts to those in
need in the hardest hit areas of Japan. These projects can take a long time
to implement, but I have to congratulate everyone involved because this has
come together in an amazing amount of time. Even my friends at NASA are
impressed!
We have requested that photos be taken of the quilts being
distributed, so we can continue to share the story of how quilters around
the world came together to help those who lost everything in Japan.
April 30, 2011
Good morning Luana,
I would like to update you on our, eQuilter ~ Mission of Love 1000
Quilts for Japan campaign. Know that I am just in AWE of the generosity of
your friends of eQuilter.com. Hundreds of comfort quilts have come to my
home/office from everywhere in the world, unconditionally. Your friends not
only buy the material, make the quilts, pay postage and send notes of love
and compassion to complete strangers in need. Luana, I only wish that
everyone could partake in the joy that I have opening the boxes and
unwrapping these gifts of love and reading these letters of hope. You can
honestly feel the love coming from the boxes! Incredible donors!
Once the quilts arrive, I open them and place them in a quilt canvas
tote, including a quilt tee shirt. ( The totes and tees were also donated
from your friends in Texas) I am able to place a dozen quilts into a large
plastic tote. The tote will protect the precious cargo for its arrival to
Miyako, Japan. $1100 was donated for the cause via our Mission of Love
website and mail. With that monetary donation I was able to purchase the
totes for a safe transportation and once the quilts arrive, they will have a
storage container for use.
I received an email last night that stated, "The Japanese Miyako
City Hall are willing to get the quilts into the people of their
city that need them and make sure that these beautiful quilts are
placed into the hands of the earthquake/tsunami victims."
The plan is to have eQuilter ~ Mission of Love quilts leave Ohio May
15.
Following is a brief video that we presented to our contacts in Japan
for them to know exactly what we wanted to send before approving this
Mission of Love airlift. Know that our work of love continues because of you
and your friends, worldwide.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9DLOW1AYOc
With love and gratitude,
Kathleen Price
Mission of Love Founder/Director
missionoflove.org / website
April 9, 2011
Dear Luana,
I would like to express my deepest gratitude to you and your
eQuilter.com friends for honoring our "1000 QUILTS for JAPAN Mission of
Love." Know that the response from your friends has been unbelievable!
Everyday Fed Ex, UPS and the United States Postal Service delivers to
our door dozens of quilts that have been sent from every one of our US
states plus France. Yesterday, we unpacked 122 loving quilts and placed them
individually into a canvas quilt tote with a new quilting tee shirt. They
will be placed into plastic bins to procure their shipment to Japan safely
and protected.
Waiting to be opened and organized are another 133 quilts.There are NO
words to express the feelings of our Mission of Love volunteers who helped
me yesterday. There were no dry eyes ~ while opening the boxes. The profound
words of love expressed on the quilts and letters are something to behold.
I opened a letter today from Kathy, and it stated that the Raintree
Quilters Guild in Evansville, Indiana has voted overwhelmingly to send
quilts for Japan. "We have 35 in our hands finished, and to hope to have
another collection no later than April 24.
* Lorri wrote from "The Proper Bostonian Quilters of West Roxbury, Ma.
"We hope this helps to wards your goal of 1000 quilts. They sent 36 quilts
made by their members.
* Charleen, from Polar Breeze Bandanas, Fairbanks Alaska wrote; "Thank
you so much for your efforts on behalf of our brothers and sisters of Japan.
My Mom and I made this quilt and have been waiting on the perfect person to
give it to. We found your organization via eQuilter.com and knew that it was
the right time to let go and give. This quilt is "LOVE" and made with love
and prayer. God is Love is on the front of this hand stitched quilt.
* "We are sending quilts that were inspired by eQuilter.com's email of
your organization that will be sending quilts and supplies to Japan. We made
them in my adult education class with quite a wonderful team of ladies.
Please send then to the relief areas that are in need. Thank you so much for
your efforts. Trudy / The Quilters Studio of Newbury Park, California.
Our work of love continues because of you and your friends,
unconditionally. Know that I will keep you updated as to our progression of
delivery to Japan.
With gratitude and love,
Kathleen Price
Missionoflove.org
March 19, 2011
Dearest Luana,
Here I am again asking of your help to share our compassion and love
to those of Japan. There are no words that we can convey to the great loss
that the country of Japan has endured last week. This loss will continue for
decades and we all ask just how we can help. In the past, we have partnered
with eQuilter.com to hand deliver 3000 quilts to the survivors of 911 in New
York. We hand delivered quilts to the survivors of Katrina, in which the
recipients literally fell in my arms after receiving them. Our Haitian
orphans now have a quilt to call there own, because of you and your friends
of eQuilter.com. Why not have your friends make quilts for our friends of
Japan? My Native American friends taught me that to give a quilt is to show
the utmost respect, honor and admiration to a person.
Luana, I intend to send an airlift of medical, educational, and basic
needs to the people of Japan. I would like to add quilts with this airlift
that will be thru the Denton Program. Mission of Love is the largest user of
the Denton Program in the country. Check out our web site,
www.missionoflove.org and view some of our work that has been done by all
volunteers for the past twenty two years. Know that this is not only my
Mission of Love but it is everyone's mission in life to have compassion and
love in their hearts for our fellowmen. What a great opportunity to make a
difference in such a loving way.
You have continued throughout the years to support our Mission of Love
via eQuilter.com. Know that because of you, our work of love has continued,
with no grants or government funding. We, together have helped the people
who really need our hand. Thank you so much! Know that this is not my job,
but my life to continue being a facilitator on just how one can be of
service.
Please consider this worthy mission of love to help heal the children
and people of Japan.
Sincerely,
Kathleen M. Price
Mission of Love Founder/Director
http://www.missionoflove.org/
