The tire industry is made up of thousands of dedicated, caring professionals who take pride in being good corporate citizens. The Tire Industry Association and the Tire Retread & Repair Information Bureau have collaborated to create “Treads of Care” – a way for the tire industry and all other interested people to unite and respond to this tragedy.

Here you’ll find helpful information, tips, and links to reputable charitable organizations who are involved in the relief effort.

How You Can Help    Links to Charities    Additional Ways to Raise Funds    Stay Informed   Spread the Word

How You Can Help

Important Tips:

• Unless you know of a specific need, DON’T send supplies; send money instead. The earthquake and resulting tsunami has damaged the infrastructure (roads, rails, bridges) in the affected areas, making regular deliveries of goods in many areas virtually impossible. Plus, goods that cannot be easily or quickly be distributed need to be kept in storage, which adds a further burden. The best way you can help is by sending money.

• Before you give, make sure your donations are going to reputable charities. For example, the Red Cross is an established, reputable charity. Additionally, Charity Navigator and the Better Business Bureau are reputable organizations that investigate charities and provide information on ones that are reputable and ones that aren’t. Below you’ll find links to these organizations.

• Beware of charities that have been formed in the wake of this disaster. Unfortunately, there are unscrupulous individuals that use tragedies like this to bilk people of money. If you are uncertain of a charity’s legitimacy, click on the links below to investigate a charity. And, if your gut is telling you that a charity does not seem legitimate, go with it, and choose an established, reputable charity instead.

• Beware of e-mail/phishing/social media/internet scams. While the internet has made donating much easier, it has also opened the door to con artists and other scammers. If you receive an e-mail, find a social media or web page, or are electronically solicited in some other way:

• DON’T click on any embedded links in an e-mail or on a social media page. Instead, do some investigating and make sure the charity is legitimate. Then, use Google to find that charity’s web page, and make your donation directly from their web page.

• DON’T open any attachments in solicitation e-mails. Opening attachments could allow your computer to be infected with viruses.

• DON’T fall victim to personal pleas for money. As with the well-known “Nigerian bank account” scams, some unscrupulous people will pose as victims and send unsuspecting people e-mails or messages via social media requesting money. DO NOT send them any money! Simply delete the e-mail/communication. If the solicitation is done via social media, report it to the site.

• If you want donations to only be used for Japan relief efforts, make a notation of that with your donation. However, if you give to a worthy charity, you can rest assured that wherever your funds end up going, they will be spent properly.

 

Links to Charities*

Japan Tsunami:

Charity Navigator Information on Charities Involved in the Japan Relief Effort – Charity Navigator is a respected evaluator of charities. This page has been specifically set up to focus on the Japan disaster and includes links to reputable charities involved in the relief effort.

Better Business Bureau List of Accredited Charities Providing Japan Relief – This link will take you to a list and other information on the Better Business Bureau’s accredited charities involved in the Japan disaster relief.

GiveWell Do-it-Yourself Charity Evaluation – This link provides information on how you can find out if the charity you are interested in is reputable.

American Red Cross – This link will take you directly to the donation page of the American Red Cross. The page also gives you the ability to earmark your donation for a specific effort, including the Japanese disaster relief.

Donations to Japanese Red Cross Direct Via PayPal – You can also choose to donate directly to the Japanese Red Cross via PayPal.

Intl. Federation of Red Cross & Red Crescent Societies – If you are outside of the U.S., this site provides a way to donate. Donations are accepted in Euros, Swiss Francs & U.S. Dollars.

Animal Refuge Kansai – In disasters like this, our four-legged friends are, sadly, often forgotten. Animal Refuge Kansai is caring for animals left homeless because of this disaster. You can learn more about this organization and find out how to make a donation.

Southern U.S. Tornadoes:

United Way of West Alabama – 100% of donations made between April 28, 2011 and August 31, 2011 will go directly to the West Alabama Tornado Relief Fund.

Charity Navigator Tornado Relief Information – Charity Navigator has some information on respected charities that are involved in the relief effort.

Alabama Governor's Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives - Emergency Relief Fund - The Governor’s Emergency Relief Fund is designed to provide assistance to individuals and organizations with recovery costs that are a direct result of a disaster or emergency.

World Vision Tornado Relief - World Vision is responding to the devastation left by deadly storms in Alabama, Oklahoma, North Carolina, and Mississippi, as well as the levy break in Missouri.

Triangle Red Cross Tornado Relief - Get the latest news and information on the North Carolina tornado relief efforts and make a donation.

Mississippi River Flooding:

State of Mississippi Disaster Recovery Fund - The Mississippi Disaster Recovery Fund has been set up by Governor Haley Barbour to serve as the state’s central clearinghouse for corporations, organizations, and individuals to make financial donations to the thousands of Mississippians who are recovering from the devastating natural disasters, including the storms of April 15 and April 27 and the expected May flooding of the Mississippi River.

American Red Cross - Southeast Louisiana Chapter       

American Red Cross - Louisiana Capital Area Chapter

Hope Presbyterian Church, Cordova, TN - This Memphis-area church has taken the lead in assisting those affected by the flooding, regardless of their beliefs. While they have enough supplies, they run several shelters that are housing those displaced by the record floods.

Help the Children - Your donation will contribute to sending several hundred food boxes; each box containing approximately $30.00 worth of grocery items. In addition, several hundred bottles of water and over-the-counter medications will be sent to assist with disaster relief efforts.

* NOTE: The listing of these charities/organizations is for informational purposes only, and does NOT constitute an endorsement of any kind. It is up to each individual person to investigate these organizations.

Additional Ways to Raise Funds

• Take up an employee donation, or consider matching funds raised by employees. Just make sure employees do not feel obligated/pressured to participate.

• Consider running a promotion where a portion of sales will be earmarked for Japan relief efforts.
  

• If you are in a consumer-oriented tire business, consider placing a donation box in a location where customers can make a donation, such as in a waiting room, at the service counter, etc.

• If you have a message sign in front of your business, encourage putting a message up to encourage people to stop in to make a donation.

• Recruit neighboring businesses to join your effort.

• Ask customers if they would like to make a donation to the relief effort when you are ringing them up. Again, just make sure you are not making customers feel obligated/pressured to participate.

Stay Informed

To find out the latest on what’s happening in Japan, here are some links to information:

Japan Tsunami:

NHK World (English) – Japanese news service.

CNN Special Coverage – Page dedicated to the Japan disaster.

Asahi Shimbun – English news from the most widely respected newspaper in Japan.

Southern U.S. Tornadoes:

Alabama's 13

Recovery Alabama – Provides news, disaster recovery updates, and more.

Raleigh News & Observer - Tornado Recovery

Mississippi River Flooding:

Memphis Commercial Appeal – “Rising Waters” – This section of Memphis’ daily newspaper contains news, photos, and other information on the Mississippi River flooding in the Memphis area.

New Orleans Times-Picayune – Provides in-depth and up-to-date news and information on the flooding in Louisiana.

WAFB-TV, Baton Rouge, LA – Their “River Watch” section contains the latest news on the flooding in Louisiana.

Spread the Word

 Click on the link below to download sample text you can cut & paste into your social media posts (Windows users: right click on the link, and choose "Save Target As;" Mac users: Hold the Apple key while clicking on the link, and choose "Save As"):

  Click here to download sample social media text

Click on the link below to download a QRC code that leads people with camera-equipped smartphones to the Treads of Care web page (Windows users: right click on the link, and choose "Save Target As;" Mac users: Hold the Apple key while clicking on the link, and choose "Save As"):

Click here to download the Treads of Care QRC Code

Treads of Care is a joint effort by