The Cause

  As you all know, the March 11th 2011 earthquake and tsunami affected many people in various ways. Though the debris is being cleaned up, there are many less visible but very pertinent issues that remain.

 One such case is that of the Horikawa Aiseien Children’s Homes. The Homes currently care for 37 children who have either been subject to abuse and/or neglect and therefore cannot live with their families. Though the staffs’ and childrens’ lives were not directly endangered during the disaster, it was been determined that the buildings which they lived in sustained critical damage that deems them unsafe for living. In other words, if another earthquake were to hit, they would surely collapse.

 Thus, it became absolutely necessary that the Homes underwent an immediate rebuilding process. However, the Homes have never been affluent, and though the Japanese government helped to cover some costs, they became 125,000,000 yen (or approximately $1.2 million) in debt. The Homes began to reach out for donations through their old and new connections, and as of 2015 have been able to cover about 25% of those costs.

 The children who live in these homes have already experienced events that one would hope no person would ever experience. Then, they experienced a natural disaster that took a great number of lives, and changed many more. Amidst all these things, the new Homes became a symbol of hope for the children: a new, safe place of belonging.

 After hearing about Aiseien's situation, a few friends in the San Francisco Bay Area (who were also members of Nakayoshi Young Professionals) decided to hold their first Udon Fundraiser in 2013 to benefit the Horikawa Aiseien Children’s Homes on March 17th, 2013. In order to continue helping the Homes attain complete security through the repayment of their loans in their entirety, the friends, now called the Friends of Fukushima, have decided to get together once again to hold a Noodle for Nippon Udon Fundraiser on November 6th, 2016. It will be held at the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California (JCCCNC), who has again generously donated their space for the event.

 Thank you very much for your time and concern for our cause, along with all that you may have already done for Earthquake Relief and the Horikawa Aiseien Children's Home. We would truly appreciate your kind support and understanding.

Please show them some love and also like their Facebook Page!: https://www.facebook.com/horikawa.aiseien/?fref=ts

Reconstruction Plan 改築計画

One of the new homes 新しく建てられたホームの一軒