Join SIFE in Helping Japan

Join sife in helping japan

Students, Faculty and Staff

La Sierra University

Dear Students and Colleagues,

As you are all aware, Japan's northeastern coast suffered a massive, magnitude 9 earthquake on March 11. What the earthquake didn't destroy, the following tsunami swallowed in a wall of water that reached estimated heights up to 124 feet. More than 25,000 people lost their lives or are listed as missing. Many of those remaining live in shelters, face hunger, devastating loss and fear of radiation poisoning. Japan's residents are in dire need of our help.

Our hearts and prayers go out to this grief stricken nation. We also thank God that the families of the few La Sierra University students who are from Japan are safe and in areas unaffected by the massive disasters.

While we pray for Japan's healing, we can also put our faith into action by supporting a campus-based effort aimed at helping ease the hunger of some of Japan's distressed residents.

La Sierra's award-winning Students In Free Enterprise team is raising $5,000 to pay costs for sending to Japan two shipping containers of dehydrated potato flakes, approximately 36,000 pounds, with a wholesale value of $40,000. Reconstituted, the potato flake donation comes to about 200,000 pounds which may provide 100,000 people with two pounds of potatoes each.

The students' endeavors fall in line with the regional fundraising effort coordinated by Dr. Jim Erickson, La Sierra's Center of Philanthropy director. Dr. Erickson is leading the charge to raise $1 million from Riverside and the Inland Empire region to aid Riverside's sister city of Sendai. He challenged the students of this campus during a recent assembly talk on philanthropy to give back to their communities, and SIFE is responding to that challenge by seeking monies to ship much-needed food to our Japanese friends.

Dr. Erickson has expressed his profound pride in the School of Business leadership and its SIFE team for their hard work in this undertaking.

There are a few other entities involved in this inspired project. The U.S. Potato Board is donating the flakes through the nonprofit, faith-based organization, Giving Children Hope. Once the food shipment arrives in Japan, Second Harvest, a Giving Children Hope distribution partner, will give the potatoes to individuals, shelters and other organizations serving those affected by the earthquake and tsunami.

Japan is the U.S. Potato Board's number one export partner for potato flakes, a key reason for the contribution. The board will provide preparation instructions in Japanese for those receiving potato flake allotments.

La Sierra became involved in this project through our own Dr. Marvin Payne, chair of the chemistry department, and also board chair for Giving Children Hope. He approached Dr. John Thomas, Dean of La Sierra's School of Business, to ask whether the school could help raise funds to cover shipping and logistics costs associated with sending the containers to Japan. Dr. Thomas then presented the project to the business school's SIFE team.

Despite their hectic schedule preparing for the national SIFE competition in Minneapolis this month, the team, true to their spirit of helping others, shouldered the task. Using their business skill sets, the students are bringing partners to the table and leveraging assistance to complete this large job. Other student leaders around campus joined with SIFE in the fundraising effort, taking time from their busy lives to give back.

Now, La Sierra's students-your students and classmates-are seeking your help in reaching this goal.

I invite you to contribute to this project, an undertaking that is certainly in keeping with La Sierra's calling and commitment to service. Your assistance is needed to aid others who are suffering. Donations may be delivered to the Human Resources office, Room 220 in the Administration building, or placed in a collection container at the Dining Commons cash registers. Please make check donations payable to La Sierra University-SIFE, Japan Relief Project. If you have questions about this project, please contact Ryan Foss, La Sierra SIFE president, at 951-785-2255.

With Appreciation,

Randal Wisbey

President