Helping Japan

Before you read my post, check out Amy’s wonderful story and list of links for aiding victims of the recent tsunami at the Eleventh Stack blog.

photo by flickr user Lost in Japan

Did you read it?  Great.

If I know anything from hearing the questions from the audience at the recent John Green event, I know that you teen readers are concerned about world events.  So is YA Author Maureen Johnson. She set up a contest wherein her blog readers could donate to Shelterbox (more on that later), and report it to her using Twitter. Then she picked one of the participants at random to receive her only galley copy of her new book, coming out in September.  Read the details here.

She raised around $14,000! That’s enough to give 14 families shelter from the elements. 

ShelterBox is an organization that delivers a box packed with essentials in a disaster.

 ”Each large, green ShelterBox is tailored to a disaster but typically contains a disaster relief tent for an extended family, blankets, water storage and purification equipment, cooking utensils, a stove, a basic tool kit, a children’s activity pack and other vital items” (from the ShelterBox website)

ShelterBox is one of the charitable organizations that is not a charity scam.  People actually try to profit from the generosity of others, so make sure to research where you’re giving.  You can read more about how to safely give here.

(Incidentally, if you want to check out some of  Maureen Johnson’s top-notch fiction, click here)

- Tessa