Google this week released its annual Zeitgeist report, which tallies the 10 most popular and fastest-rising searches in a wide range of categories. To come up with the fastest-rising terms, it compared searches this year to those in 2010.
“Donate to Japan,” “Red Cross Japan,” and “Japan relief” were the three fastest-rising charitable searches in the United States this year.
If only charitable giving was as easy as buying a Coke at a vending machine. Well, now it is — at least in Japan.
A Coca-Cola bottling company in Japan and the country’s Red Cross have joined together to enable people to make donations by putting money into a vending machine, which in Japan is a popular way to buy items like mobile phones and food.
Donations are paying for recovery efforts under way in the wake of March’s devastating earthquakes and tsunamis.
Disasters are a fast way to get donors to give. But wealthy Japan is not impoverished Haiti, and many groups are raising money without really knowing how it will be spent or even if it's needed. The Japanese Red Cross has said repeatedly since the day after the earthquake that it does not want or need outside assistance. But that has not stopped the American Red Cross from raising $34 million through Tuesday afternoon in the name of Japan’s disaster victims.
JPMorgan Chase is extending a helping hand to Japan in the aftermath of the country’s worst earthquake on record.
The financial services company is committing $5 million to near-term relief and recovery efforts in Japan.
The company’s contribution to the relief efforts will be divided into employee and company donations. JPMorgan Chase Japan already has pledged $1.1 million to relief efforts and the company will match $1 million in employee contributions to The American Red Cross and World Vision. The remaining funds will be donated to charitable and relief organizations.
The strongest-ever earthquake to hit Japan triggered a tsunami that moved across the Pacific Ocean. The Associated Press reports that at least 300 people have already died.
Here are early responses from large international-aid charities, grant makers, and other groups:
mGive will provide the technology platform behind several mobile donation campaigns raising funds for the Japan earthquake and Pacific tsunami relief efforts, including:
• The American Red Cross – Text REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10
• Convoy of Hope – Text TSUNAMI to 50555 to donate $10
• GlobalGiving – Text JAPAN to 50555 to donate $10
• World ReliefCorp of National Association of Evangelicals – Text WAVE to 50555 to donate $10
