How can I help Japan when I have little or no money to give to them?

Question:

I am going to college and right now have a lot of debt so donating money is not a very realistic option, so how else could I help?

Answer:

While not an option you have, because of money, be wary of flying over there now to volunteer. If you become injured or end up getting in the way--you will drain resources and not be helping.

What you can do is find things you don't really need (that awesome poster signed by your favorite person) and donate them to a charity which will sell them, or you can sell them yourself and transfer the funds as a donation! Be wary of your choice of charity to donate to--if you donate--generally the bigger ones donate a lot, but also use a lot just to pay their employees. Look to donate directly to local businesses in the area, which are handing out relief (food, shelter and heat) and remember that Doctors without Borders (MSF) is quite often forgotten because they don't dole out as much to advertise. (Ouch.) A good way to research your charity (especially if you can't give much--you want all of it to count!) is by accessing http://www.charitynavigator.org/ and looking at the amount they actually use to help people out of every dollar.

Please remember if you donate money to NOT specify for which event it is to be used. MSF doesn't even give you this option. This is to ensure that the money you donate can be used almost immediately when new situations arise--while doctors are already there, before reporters and other news sources get their stories straight. This is extremely important.

But what can you do if you cannot even scrounge for money? Cut back now on something a little harder to miss, maybe stop getting cafeteria dessert or buying a tall coffee in the morning--settling for a little less, and save those few dollars a week or month in a bank account for the summer or even next summer. I can assure you that there will be companies and organzations looking for the less-skilled volunteer to help rebuild japan. Even though they are so advanced, they will definitely need all the self-sufficient aids to deliver supplies and rebuild those amazingly engineered houses. If you cannot get together the money for a Japan flight (those are after all quite expensive) consider flying to Haiti with a relief organization that is rebuilding... There are still very many things to be done--supplies to be distributed and houses to be rebuilt. Keep in contact with your local Habitat for Humanity representative so you know of an impending trips and can get on that list as soon as it comes your way.

It's similar to any human disaster, unfortunately. When the tsunami hit Sri Lanka, the Earthquake split Haiti or a sweet elderly woman lost her husband slowly after a 40 year marriage, the majority of people forget after the first few months of sending money aid. When you give an unspecified donation, money can be used where it's needed, even if you weren't aware that country existed, but you need to be aware of that country in the next few years. If you go back in the news sources and find a country that is still repairing itself this summer, and you can't build houses in Japan for 2 months because of (worst scenario) the nuclear fallout, consider going someplace forgotten.

Edit: While I mention visiting Haiti as an option for helping those in need, I want you to be aware of the fact that none of these things can really be done on a whim--even donating, haha--and MUST be researched! WikiTravel reveals that there is a cholera warning in effect in Port-au-Prince as of Oct 2010. While I believe you could easily make yourself informed about the things needed and risks you could possibly encounter, the fact that you, in a similar situation as myself (college student with limited funds) could not discover these things on your own demonstrates the possibility that you are not properly informed, lacking initiative to go and find easily encountered information, or just not the person to go for other reasons. I do not mean to belittle you--what I hope to do is prevent you from making the problem larger in a, yes, not terribly significant way, and sapping supplies and relief for you, or, worse still, injuring, possibly killing you, and thus limiting your worth for the next 70 years. If you are not able or capable now, you may become so in 10 years. Do not limit yourself by making a hasty decision. Always do research and be open minded: accept the oddball who comes along and tries to help you.

I hope your question was answer, and you weren't too irritated with my 'edit'.