NBC Bay Area Telethon Helps Raise $770K

NBC Bay Area joined forces with Comcast to help raise money for the Japanese relief effort.

Friday, NBC Bay Area took part in an all-day (and night) fundraising drive at the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California (JCCCNC) in San Francisco.

Bay Area viewers and the local community donated more than $416,000 to the Northern Japan Earthquake Relief Fund, according to officials.

Bright and early at 7 a.m. volunteers from the Japanese American community staffed a phone bank for viewers to call in and make credit card donations. The phones were manned all the way through midnight Friday with special coverage on the 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. news on NBC Bay Area.

You can still help:

Online donations can be made at www.jcccnc.org where updates will also be posted.
Go to our Cause page:
Checks are also being accepted and can be made out to: Northern Japan Earthquake Relief Fund and sent to JCCCNC at 1840 Sutter Street, San Francisco, CA 94115. JCCCNC is a 501(C)(3) so donations are tax deductible to the extent of the law.
Viewers can still call the direct relief fund line at (415) 529-1322.

All of the money will go directly to the people in the Tohoku region of northern Japan most affected by the devastating earthquake and tsunami. All agencies have agreed that no administrative fees will be taken so that donations can benefit those who need it most.

“We would like to thank NBC Bay Area and Comcast for donating their time and resources to help with this telethon. Without their support we wouldn’t be able to host this telethon to improve outreach and raise critical funds that are in dire need in Japan, the outpouring of support and concern was truly incredible” said Paul Osaki, JCCCNC Executive Director.

Phone bank volunteers included some recognizable names from the community such as broadcast journalists James Hattori, Wendy Tokuda, and Jan Yanehiro; playwright Philip Kan Gotanda and wife Diane Takei Gotanda, and journalist Ben Fong Torres.

Since fundraising began after the quake and tsunami of March 11, the Northern Japan Earthquake Relief Fund has raised close to $700,000, through online donations via www.causes.com, and from individuals, businesses and organizations.

The Northern Japan Earthquake Relief Fund is a three-fold plan:

Relief (meeting immediate life saving and survival needs)
Recovery (sustainability, temporary shelters, post traumatic stress counseling, supplies for children, families, and seniors)
Rebuilding (community and neighborhood capital and improvement projects and programs)

San Jose's Japantown is also raising money.

The Japantown Community Congress of San Jose also mobilized in response to this strong desire of so many people who want to contribute . The community is taking donations at the Buddhist Church at 640 North 5th Street Friday from 5 p.m to 7 p.m.

Please make checks payable to :

JCCsj with 'Tsunami/Earthquake Relief in the memo line. 100% of proceeds will be sent to the Japanese Red Cross via the Consulate of Japan in San Francisco.