[caption id="attachment_15020" align="alignright" width="378" caption="Miyagi Prefecture in Japan has had a sister state relationship with Delaware since 1997. Photo courtesy of delaware.gov."]
Responses to disasters take different forms, depending on needs, location and, in some cases, established relationships.
When an 8.9 magnitude earthquake unleashed a massive tsunami in Japan on March 11, Delawareans moved swiftly to show their support.
One of the areas of Japan that suffered severe damage was the Miyagi Prefecture, which has had a sister state relationship with Delaware since 1997. Businesses in Delaware and Miyagi have collaborated for years, and teachers and students have regularly participated in exchange programs, said Felicia Pullam, Gov. Markell’s communications officer.
With those linkages in place, state officials quickly contacted their Japanese counterparts. They determined it would not be practical to send medical professionals and supplies, Pullam said. Donations that could be used to help rebuild the area’s infrastructure once the immediate crisis had passed would be more helpful.
After a fundraiser in April, donations to the Delaware Fund for Miyagi had reached nearly $50,000. As of this week, the total had grown to about $100,000, Pullam said.
No major fundraisers are currently planned, but donations are still being accepted.
